Research News

Farmer-led initiatives help reduce surface water pollution in Wisconsin

September 3, 2025

Jeff Hadachek and Andrew Stevens showed that a voluntary farmer-organized program is a cost-effective alternative to traditional subsidies for reducing agricultural runoff.

The role of childcare in self-employment choices

July 30, 2025

Tessa Conroy found new evidence that the reasons for launching a business may differ for men and women, as illustrated by the loss of childcare options during the pandemic.

Satellites show that strictly protected marine areas exclude industrial fishing

July 24, 2025

Jennifer Raynor (AAE PhD ’17, AAE Faculty Affiliate) reported in the journal Science that strong legal bans of industrial fishing support ocean conservation.

How do blackouts affect the productivity of small firms in India?

June 23, 2025

Corbett Grainger analyzed the impact of power shortages on India’s small-business sector, a major driver of the country’s economic growth and sustainable development.

Linking hydrology and economics to assess the social cost of water pollution

May 28, 2025

Daniel Phaneuf estimated a GDP-equivalent measure of U.S. surface water pollution from urban and agricultural sources that helps prioritize mitigation efforts.

Estimating the cost of exposure to livestock manure with housing market data

April 28, 2025

AAE Faculty Affiliate Christopher Timmins assessed the impact of eastern North Carolina’s high concentration of hog and poultry farms on home sales prices.

Modern slavery contaminates global supply chains for Brazilian beef and leather

March 20, 2025

Graduate student Tara Mittelberg and colleagues found that a policy for reducing forced labor in Brazil’s cattle industry needs better enforcement to be effective.

The enduring economic consequences of childhood lead exposure

February 25, 2025

Dustin Frye and Gisella Kagy analyzed several waves of U.S. census data to estimate how childhood exposure to waterborne lead affected adult employment status and wages.

The value of water quality regulation in small-town America

December 18, 2024

Rhiannon Jerch studied how federal requirements to reduce surface water pollution affected city budgets, water quality and population growth.

The economic value of monitoring nitrate in public drinking water

December 11, 2024

Jeff Hadachek examined if drinking bottled water to avoid unsafe tap water had measurable public health benefits.

Economic analysis could help reduce hurricane-caused power outages

November 8, 2024

Sheldon Du used the example of Hurricane Harvey to suggest targeted strategies for improving the resilience of the Texas power grid.

How do female political leaders affect villages and household dynamics in rural India?

October 31, 2024

Priya Mukherjee examined the impact of more women in India’s state and national parliaments on families living in the country’s rural areas.