Policy Experiments for the U.S. Intermountain West Native Seed Industry

Abstract

The increasing frequency of fires and the focus on energy development in the western United States have expanded need for reclamation of disturbed lands. Government policy significantly influences demand for native seed and prioritizes use of native plants to improve reclamation success. However, existing native seed supplies are inadequate for current reclamation needs. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) seeks to implement policies that will increase the quantities supplied. We conduct laboratory market experiments to analyze the effect of different policies BLM might implement on price, quantity traded, and earnings, especially in light of BLM's role in the market as largest buyer. Four treatments are examined, combining forward (production-to-demand) or spot (advance production) delivery and constant (seller unit earnings are constant and known) or variable demand (seller unit earnings randomly adjusted without notice) under big buyer influence (four sellers, two small buyers, one big buyer). A fifth competitive treatment (four sellers, four buyers) with forward contracting and constant demand provides a benchmark by which to gauge big buyer effects on market outcomes. Results provide evidence that adoption of forward contracting or reduction in BLM's demand variability would increase seller earnings and native seed production. L'augmentation de la fréquence des feux et l'attention particulière portée au développementénergétique dans l'Ouest américain créent un plus grand besoin pour la remise enétat de terrains perturbés. Les politiques gouvernementales influencent significativement la demande pour les semences indigènes et priorisent l'utilisation de plantes indigènes pour accroître la réussite de remises enétat. Par contre, les approvisionnements en semences indigènes ne répondent pas actuellement aux besoins de remise enétat. Le Bureau of Land Management (BLM) desÉtats-Unis chercheà mettre en place des politiques qui augmenteront la disponibilité des semences. Nous menons des expériences de marché en laboratoire afin d'analyser les effets des diverses politiques qui pourraientêtre mises en oeuvre par le BLM en matière de prix, de quantité négociée, et de revenus, tenant compte du rôle de BLM sur le marchéà titre de principal acheteur. Quatre traitements sontétudiés, combinant la livraisonà terme (productionà la demande) ouà comptant (production anticipée), et la demande constante (les revenus a l'unité du fournisseur sont constants et connus) ou variable (les revenusà l'unité du fournisseur sont ajustés aléatoirement, sans préavis) sous l'influence de grands acheteurs (quatre fournisseurs, deux petits acheteurs et un grand acheteur).Un cinquième traitement compétitif (quatre fournisseurs, quatre 695 696 CANADIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS acheteurs), avec contratsà terme et demande constante, fournit une référence contre laquelle il est possible d'évaluer l'effet du grand acheteur sur les résultats du marché. Les résultats fournissent des preuves selon lesquelles l'adoption de contratsà terme...

Seed and seedling traits have strong impacts on establishment of a perennial bunchgrass in invaded semi‐arid systems

“…These perennial plant communities are experiencing large‐scale conversion to invasive annual grasses, particularly Bromus tectorum L. (Bradley et al., ). Much of the Great Basin is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is the largest seed buyer in the western hemisphere (Mock, Hansen, Coupal, & Menkhaus, ). The BLM uses these seeds for large‐scale seeding treatments across western rangelands, often seeding perennial grasses post‐fire, with the goal of reducing weed populations and assisting the return of disturbed sites to perennial systems (USDI BLM, ).…”

Toward a wild pollinator strategy for Canada: expert-recommended solutions and policy levers

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Seed Predation in Wild Populations of Chamisso Arnica (Arnica chamissonisLess: Asteraceae) and New Host Records forCampiglossa snowi(Hering) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

“…There are 2 major potential uses of A. chamissonis for which seed predation may pose a concern: as a seed crop for the reclamation industry or as a pharmaceutical crop. Because of the increased interest in seed harvest from wild populations of native plants (Lippitt et al 1994, Vander Mijnsbrugge et al 2010, Broadhurst et al 2015 and commercial cultivation of native plants for the reclamation industry (Shaw et al 2005, Mock et al 2016, the impact of fruit flies that parasitize seeds, thus affecting seed production, poses potential risks. Arnica chamissonis was included in the inventory of species deposited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Millennium ABSTRACT.-New host records are reported for Campiglossa snowi (Hering), Tephritis leavittensis Blanc, and Trupanea nigricornis (Coquillett) on Arnica chamissonis Less.…”