INTERTEMPORAL AND INTERSPATIAL VARIABILITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON DRYLAND WINTER WHEAT YIELD TRENDS

The importance of climate (temperature and precipitation) variability on Nebraska dryland winter wheat yield trend is examined. The use of short term (1956-1999) climatic divisional panel data (interspatial) and long term (1909-1999) state time series data (intertemporal) is to address the predictability power of estimating the yield trends accounting for climate variability.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

EVALUATION OF OPTIMUM REGRET DECISIONS IN CROP SELLING

Minimum regret solutions from alternative monthly sales for corn, wheat, and soybeans were determined. The data set involved eleven years of monthly prices for corn and soybeans and twelve years for wheat. The regret, risk (MOTAD), and expected value of the optimum regret solutions were compared to solutions using other optimizing techniques.Marketing,

ESTIMATED RISK-RETURN COMPENSATIONS REQUIRED UNDER REDUCED NITROGEN USE

An analysis was made of the reduced return and increased risk of reduced nitrogen use. The data source was an 11-year set of yields for continuous and rotational cropping of corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum each fertilized at three nitrogen levels. Risk was measured as returns below a target.Crop Production/Industries,

TESTING FOR INPUT AND OUTPUT SEPARABILITY IN NEBRASKA AGRICULTURE SECTOR

The existence of Weak Separability aggregates of inputs and outputs is tested using a Translog production and input requirement function for the Nebraska Agricultural sector for 1936-1994. A separability test was performed only after testing time series properties by comparing the null hypothesis of stationarity against the alternative of unit roots.Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

COMPARISON OF LIVESTOCK PRICE FORECASTING USING SIMPLE TECHNIQUES, FORWARD PRICING AND OUTLOOK INFORMATION

Demand and Price Analysis,

Causality, Input Price Variability, and Structural Changes in the U.S. Livestock- Meat Industry

Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

MACHINERY COSTS AND INFLATION

This article addresses (1) the differences in machinery cost estimating techniques, particularly for depreciation and opportunity cost, and (2) the necessary modifications in cost estimating techniques to account for the changing monetary base under inflation. The conditions under which capital budgeting and traditional budgeting differ are examined on a before tax and after tax basis, with and without inflation. The variations in cost estimates depending upon techniques, and with and without inflation, are compared.Agricultural Finance,

GROWTH AND SURVIVAL IN WHEAT FARMING: THE IMPACT OF LAND EXPANSION AND BORROWING RESTRAINTS

Simulation is used to examine impacts of land expansion strategies and self-imposed borrowing limits upon growth and survival odds of a dryland wheat farm over a 15-year period. Compared to share-rent expansion, purchasing land shows only marginally great growth at best, with substantially higher odds of firm failure. A tradeoff of enhanced survival at the expense of reduced growth results from more conservative borrowing for land. The marginal value of liquidity (for assisting survival) is relatively high at lower levels of credit reserves.Agricultural Finance, Crop Production/Industries, Land Economics/Use,

OPTIMUM WINDBREAK SPACING IN GREAT PLAINS AGRICULTURE

Integer Programming determined an optimum windbreak pattern for corn and soybean production. Direct costs included windbreak establishment, annual maintenance, and removal. Crop yields were included as a linearized function. The net return results for the optimum pattern were 12 and 16 percent over conventional production for corn and soybean respectively.Land Economics/Use,

FARM AND NONFARM FACTORS INFLUENCING FARM SIZE

The impact of the price of capital, nonfarm employment opportunities, and returns in agriculture on farm size was analyzed. A 10 region panel model using data for 1950-2000 was used. The impact of agricultural government payments was also examined. The results demonstrated the capital-labor substitution phenomenon and the importance of nonfarm employment changes.Farm Size, Capital-Labor Substitution, Nonfarm Impacts, Industrial Organization,