Life Sciences Commons^™

Meeting Cash Flow Needs, Roger Selley

Cornhusker Economics

In the March 11, 1998 issue of this newsletter we discussed how projected cash requirements for the year could be distributed between enterprises. The objectives of that discussion were to arrive at 1) a budgeted cash requirement on a per acre basis to help determine crop insurance needs, and 2) a target price for each enterprise to help in pricing decisions. We suggested, however, that prioritization of cash requirements may be needed because yield and price protection may not be available at those levels or may cost more than you are willing to spend. The low prices we are currently …

Some Thoughts - Farm Business Management - Fall 1998, Larry L. Bitney

Cornhusker Economics

Crop and livestock prices have been universally low for Nebraska farmers and ranchers in the last few months. There have been conversations about whether the current conditions constitute a crisis, and how it is different from the farm financial crisis of the 1980's. Regardless of the differences or similarities with the 80's, many farm and ranch families are facing drastic reductions in income. There are, of course, exceptions. In view of the current situation which most families are facing, I was recently asked to speak on the topic of “Strategies for Dealing with Low Prices.” Following is a brief summary …

The Occupation Of Farming, Bruce B. Johnson

Cornhusker Economics

Farming is one of the world’s oldest occupations. It has been hailed as one of the most noble of occupations by Thomas Jefferson and countless others throughout recorded history. Tilling the soil and husbanding the livestock as a resource steward in the seemingly-endless cycle of seasons, this remains in the minds of many as the basic stereotype of a farmer.

Sunflower Seed Marketing Patterns In South Dakota: Regional Variations, Bashir Qasmi

Economics Research Reports

U.S. Agriculture is going through a transition. Federal spending on farm programs is being curtailed and agricultural policies are being modified to make production of farm commodities responsive to market forces. In this competitive environment, efforts by the commodity groups for market development are becoming i:q.creasingly more important. However, to devise any market development plan for a commodity, understanding of the present status of the marketing system is important. At a minimum, one needs to know the methods of purchase and sale, types of buyers, shipment destinations, and transportation modes for the commodity. These aspects of grain marketing in South …

Grain Storage: Value, Costs, And Returns, Roger Selley

Cornhusker Economics

Promise of a good crop and low prices at harvest has increased the interest in storage. Many elevators are requiring that 20% or more of the grain be sold upon delivery or be placed under a deferred pricing contract so they can move the grain. Commercial storage rates are expected to be 2½ to 3 cents or more per bushel where available. Farm storage rental charges may approach commercial rates.

General Agreement On Tariffs And Trade (Gaff) And The World Trade Organisation (Wto): The Major Provisions And The Implication For Nigeria, O. A. Ogunlana

CBN Occasional Papers

This paper shall review the major provisions of the GATT with respect to the Multilateral Agreements on Trade in Goods only and the likely implications for Nigeria. The review of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the Agreement on Trade - Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights shall be covered in another exercise. The rest of the paper is, therefore, organised into five parts. Part I discusses the GATT’s basic principles and the major agreements of the latest multilateral trade negotiations otherwise known as the Uruguay Round. The World Trade Organization, its major functions, structure and the decision-making …

1999 Winter Wheat Budgets For South Dakota, Department Of Economics

Economics Pamphlet Series

No abstract provided.

The Mortenson Ranch: Cattle And Trees At Home On The Range. A Restoration Guidebook, Susan E. Boettcher, W. Carter Johnson, Scott Kronberg, F. Robert Gartner, Clarence Todd, Jeff Mortenson, Scott Fausti

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Early agriculture on western rangeland met with little success and resulted in serious consequences including soil erosion, loss of native woodlands and wildlife, and economic ruin. The Mortenson family in Stanley County, South Dakota, has been engaged in restoring degraded rangeland on their ranch for more than 50 years. Their primary goal has been to return the land to its condition prior to white settlement while maintaining a profitable cattle ranching operation. In recent years the ranch has served as a model of successful ranching based on a conservation ethic. This guidebook summarizes the restoration techniques and grazing regime used …

Strategies For Sustainable Economic Development, Duane Olsen

Cornhusker Economics

During a conference highlighting "sustainable Communities," Margaret Thomas presented a paper based upon a 1994 research project designed to explore economic development strategies that would increase local prosperity and also protect the environment and protect natural resources. She described the economy and ecology as two sides of the same coin and proposed reconsidering human systems and industrial systems in the light of these two natural laws: 1) resources are to be used no faster than they are replenished, and 2) matter is ultimately recycled for reuse in biological or physical systems.

Corn And Soybean Basis Patterns For Selected Locations In South Dakota: 1998, Bashir Qasmi, Lisa A. Johnson

Economics Research Reports

For successful marketing and merchandising in commodity markets, it is important to understand the relationship between cash and futures contract prices. The principal measure for relating cash and futures price is local cash basis or "Basis''.

Estimating And Using Probabilities In Farm And Ranch Decisions, Al Wellman

Cornhusker Economics

A probability is a number that measures the likelihood or chance that a particular event will occur. This number, in terms of fractions or percentages, must be between zero (0) and one (1). Zero means there is no chance that the event will happen, and one means it is certain to happen. In between are all the possible probabilities that it will or will not happen. The sum of the probabilities of all the possible events that can occur in a given situation must add up to one.

The Orgins Of The Seasonal Cycle In 19th Century Us Money Markets And The Evolution Of Futures Contracts, Joseph Santos

Economics Research Reports

Early scholars of aggregate fluctuations, including Jevons ( 1884) and Kemmerer ( 1910), introduced the notion that seasonal cycles were relevant to the study of other, seemingly more important, fluctuations in macroeconomic time series. Kuznets (1933) continued this approach, recognizing the tendency for seasonal variations to exacerbate the variability of employment and capital accumulation. But, as economic contractions intensified in the J 930's, economists began to discount the relative importance of the seasonal cycle. Work by Mitchell (1927), Pigou (I 929) and later, Burns and Mitchell ( 194 7), promulgated the view that fluctuations in commercial activity were relevant to …

Farming — Can You Make A Living At It?, Larry Bitney

Cornhusker Economics

I’ve observed that many families are running harder and faster to make ends meet on the farm. Farms that produced living expenses for a family ten years ago are no longer doing so. Many families who found it necessary to supplement farm earnings with an off-farm job in the 1980's have kept that job, and are now struggling again financially. Other families have expanded their farming operations to increase their sales volume, but seem to be reaching their limits of physical and mental energy, and are also struggling.

Corn And Soybeans Marketing Patterns In South Dakota: Regional Variations, Bashir Qasmi

Economics Research Reports

U.S. Agriculture is going through a transition. Federal spending on farm programs is being curtailed and agricultural policies are being modified to make production of farm commodities responsive to market forces. In this competitive environment, efforts by the commodity groups for market development are becoming increasingly more important. However, to devise any market development plan for a commodity, understanding of the present status of the marketing system is important. At a minimum, one needs to know the methods of purchase and sale, types of buyers, shipment destinations, and transportation modes for the commodity. These aspects of grain marketing in South …

Beef Industry Productivity, Prices And Profits, Dillon M. Fuez

Cornhusker Economics

Cattle numbers in the U.S. peaked in 1975 at about 130 million head. Since that time, cattle numbers have generally been declining. Numbers are affected by the cattle cycle, but peak numbers are declining with each new cycle. The January 1, 1998 inventory of cattle was less than 100 million head.

Changing Technology And Share Leases Some Observations, Larry L. Bitney

Cornhusker Economics

The most popular method of leasing cropland in Nebraska is the share lease. Under this arrangement, the tenant and landowner both contribute to the production of a crop, which they share and market. The landowner’s contribution may be only the land, or he/she may also pay a share of the crop production expenses.

Comparison Of Organic And Conventional Crop Prices: 1995 To 1997, Thomas L. Dobbs, Lisa M. Carr

Economics Pamphlet Series

Organic industry sales by United State (US) natural product distributors have been growing at more than 20 percent annually during the 1990s. Demand growth for certified organic agricultural commodities has been strong both in the us and abroad. For example, Japan's demand for organically grown us soybeans has been especially strong in recent years. This growth in demand, together with growing concerns about the profitability and ecological sustainability of more "conventional" farming systems in some areas, is causing new interest in organic agriculture. Therefore, as part of our sustainable agriculture research program in the Economics Department at South Dakota State …

An Economic Assessment Of The Myanmar Rice Sector: Current Developments And Prospects, Kenneth B. Young, Gail L. Cramer, Eric J. Wailes

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

In this study, the Myanmar rice economy is described in the context of the current political situation and state of national economic development. The forces that are changing rice production and exports are identified; however, the rate of development involves a complex integration of government intervention and politics, as well as availability of resources. Probable scenarios for rice production and export are projected based on recent growth trends and expected infrastructure development. The Arkansas Global Rice Model is used to integrate the Myanmar rice sector with the global rice market in developing projections.

Creating A Business Plan, Allen Prosch

Cornhusker Economics

A business plan is becoming an increasingly important tool as farm operators need to explain complex operations to their associates. It has long been necessary to have good information for lenders. But in the current business environment there are many more persons such as crop consultants, landlords, employees and family members who may not always be present, but are involved in the operation.

Marketing Practices Of Arkansas Beef Cattle Producers, Michael P. Popp, Lucas D. Parsch

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

This report contains information from a 1996 survey on marketing practices of Arkansas beef cattle producers. While several studies have been completed on the profitability of retained ownership of beef cattle, few data are available on what marketing techniques and decision criteria cow-calf and stocker operations use to market their cattle. This report shows that there are some differences in opinions on marketing issues such as pooled cattle sales and retained ownership across cow-calf and stocker operations. Further, these operations use different sources of information to make marketing decisions. The results of this study can be particularly helpful in providing …

Facing A Watershed: Managing Profitable And Sustainable Landscapes In The 21st Century, Heidi Carter, Richard Olson, Charles A. Francis

CARI Extension and Education Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

Overview of Freshwater Use, Introduction to Watershed Management, and a Watershed Management Plan

Group Dynamics in Designing and Implementing a Watershed Management Plan

Information Sources for Watershed Management

Conservation Buffers and Riparian Management

Farmland Protection, Green Corridors, and Suburban Sprawl

Information Sources for Sustainable Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture Education

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A L. Payne, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton, H J. Pringle, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1992 and 1993, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area’s natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers about …

The Use Of Red Mud/Gypsum To Reduce Water Pollution From Sandy Soils Used For Vegetable Production, Ian Mcpharlin, W. J. Robertson, R. C. Jeffery

Research Reports

An important domestic and export vegetable industry is located on the sands of the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) in Western Australia. The total value of the vegetable industry on the SCP was estimated at $90M in 1996/7 or about 50% of the total value of the industry. This vegetable production has been located on good quality sands such as the Spearwood and yellow Karrakatta sands, close to the coast, since the 1950s. However in recent years competition for this land for urban and industrial use has forced vegetable production onto soils with poorer water and phosphorus retention capacity such as …