Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Nayga, R.M., Zhao, Y., & Van Asselt, J. (2026). Trade-off between accuracy and cognitive burden: Influence of stated attribute non-attendance questions on participants’ choice behaviors. Agricultural Economics 57(1): e70070. DOI:10.1111/agec.70070.
Nian, Y., Jatana, B., Jeong, D., & Willis, D. B. (2026). Evaluation of economic viability of grafted watermelon production under alternative planting dates and densities. HortScience 61(5): 1080-1088.10.21273/HORTSCI19363-26.
Nian, Y., Lamie, R.D., Vassalos, M., Tregeagle, D., Boyles, B., Vossbrinck, D. (2025). A diamond in the rough: Identifying heritage crop niche markets in the United States using a discrete choice experiment. Agricultural Economics 56(6): 940-960. DOI:10.1111/agec.70043.
Nian, Y., Wu, Q., Gao, Z., Zhao, X., Duan, D., & Carapezza, G. (2025). Exploring the adoption of high tunnel system among specialty crop growers: Perceptions, use experiences, willingness-to-pay, and influencing factors. HortScience 60(12): 2223-2231. DOI:10.21273/HORTSCI18572-25.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Zhao, X., & Chen, J. (2025). Making grafting accessible to vegetable producers: An online multistakeholder economic decision-support system for vegetable grafting. Smart Agricultural Technology 10(2025): 100723. DOI:10.1016/j.atech.2024.100723.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., & Zhao, R. (2023). Are people’s daily life habits consistent with their preference for food sustainability labels?. Agribusiness: An International Journal, 39(3): 589-622.DOI:10.1002/agr.21803.
Van Asselt, J., Nian, Y., Soh, M., Morgan, S., & Gao, Z. (2022). Do plastic warning labels reduce consumers’ willingness to pay for plastic egg packaging?: Evidence from a choice experiment. Ecological Economics 198(2022): 107460. DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107460.
Nian, Y., Zhao, Z., Tian, S., Zhao, X., & Gao, Z. (2022). An economic analysis of grafted organic tomato production in high tunnels. HortTechnology, 32(5):459-470. DOI:10.21273/HORTTECH05101-22.
Nian, Y., Huang, Q., Kovacs, K., Henry, C., & Krutz, J. (2020). Water management practices: Use patterns, related factors, and correlations with irrigated acres. Water Resources Research, 56(3): e2019WR025360.DOI:10.1029/2019WR02536.
Optimizing agricultural climate-adaptative policy bundles: Impact of crop insurance program and financial assistance policy on farmers’ climate resilient technology adoption dynamics (with Zhifeng Gao)
Abstract: Extreme weather events pose an increasing challenge to the specialty crop sector in the U.S., prompting policymakers to implement various climate-adaptive policies to help farmers mitigate these challenges. This study develops a framework in an agent-based model to analyze how the interactions between crop insurance and financial assistance affect farmers’s adoption of climate-resilient production systems to mitigate increasing tropical cyclone risks. The model simulates farmers’ dynamic adaptation behaviors by coupling farmers’ heterogeneous decision-making processes, risk preferences, loss aversion, extreme weather risk perception, and social networks. We find that financial assistance policies can encourage farmers to adopt more climate-resilient systems to shield crops from extreme weather events when the extreme weather risk is moderate. However, when extreme weather risks become high, financial assistance alone is insufficient to drive adoption. In addition, crop insurance programs tailored to different production systems are more effective than universal insurance programs to promote the adoption of climate-resilient production systems. For optimal policy design, integrating these policies—such as linking crop insurance premium reductions to high tunnel adoption—could create more substantial incentives for farmers to participate in both programs. It would enhance risk reduction, improve resource allocation, and maximize public investment efficiency.
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Morgan, K., Moss, C., & Zhao, X. Intra- and inter- temporal risks in specialty crop producers’ technology adoption.
Nian, Y., Mattia, M., Gmitter, F., Gao, Z., & Chen, J. The impact of health claims on consumers’ willingness-to-pay for food products: Does the format matter?
Nian, Y., Gao, Z., Morgan, K., Moss, C., & Zhao, X. The role of reference points in specialty producers’ technology adoption under risks.
Duan, D., Uddin, A., Nian, Y., Nguyen, L., & Gao, Z. Tracing the trend in research about consumer preferences for eco-labeled food: A text-mining and topic-modeling approach.