Selling a Piece of the Farm Credit System

Agricultural Finance,

Growth of Large-Scale Credit Unions in Iowa: Implications for Public Policy

Over the past two decades, the financial services industry has experienced a significant increase in competition and internal rivalry. Driven by deregulation and advances in information technologies, many historical institutional distinctions among financial intermediaries have disappeared or blurred considerably. The fundamental assumption that has guided many of the policy changes is that consumers are best served when businesses offering the same services are allowed to compete within a similar regulatory or institutional environment. Despite this general leveling of the playing field, credit unions continue to operate under tax and regulatory rules that differ, in important ways, from most of the firms in the financial services industry. Many of the tax and regulatory distinctions arose in the early 20th century during a time when credit unions were being established to meet the needs of individuals or communities that could not or were not being adequately served by commercial banks. However, as the financial services industry has evolved, the justification for continuing or maintaining credit unions

Regenerable biocide delivery unit

A method and apparatus are disclosed for maintaining continuous, long-term microbial control in the water supply for potable, hygiene, and experimental water for space activities, as well as treatment of water supplies on Earth. The water purification is accomplished by introduction of molecular iodine into the water supply to impart a desired iodine residual. The water is passed through an iodinated anion exchange resin bed. The iodine is bound as I-(sub n) at the anion exchange sites and releases I(sub 2) into the water stream flowing through the bed. The concentration of I(sub 2) in the flowing water gradually decreases and, in the prior art, the ion-exchange bed has had to be replaced. In a preferred embodiment, a bed of iodine crystals is provided with connections for flowing water therethrough to produce a concentrated (substantially saturated) aqueous iodine solution which is passed through the iodinated resin bed to recharge the bed with bound iodine. The bed of iodine crystals is connected in parallel with the iodinated resin bed and is activated periodically (e.g., by timer, by measured flow of water, or by iodine residual level) to recharge the bed. Novelty resides in the capability of inexpensively and repeatedly regenerating the ion-exchange bed in situ

EVALUATION OF THE POSSIBLE THREAT OF NAFTA ON U.S. CATFISH INDUSTRY USING A TRADITIONAL IMPORT DEMAND FUNCTION

The effects of increased exports from NAFTA member countries on the U.S. domestic catfish industry were evaluated. Results showed that the quantity of catfish imported will fall if the domestic price of catfish falls relative to the import price. Past imports have no effect on present imports. The income elasticity was negative indicating that imported catfish may be an inferior good. Doubling present levels of imports from NAFTA member countries is not a threat to the U.S. catfish industry.International Relations/Trade,

Anti-CTLA-4 (CD 152) monoclonal antibody-induced autoimmune interstitial nephritis

Targeted immune-modulating agents are entering clinical practice in many specialties, providing novel therapeutic possibilities but introducing new potential toxicities. We present the first reported case, to our knowledge, of immune-mediated nephritis following the administration of Tremelimumab (CP-675, 206), an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) monoclonal antibody. High-dose steroid therapy led to a rapid improvement in renal function, avoiding the need for renal replacement therapy.Peer reviewe

Electroconvective instability in a fluid layer

Electroconvective instabilities in fluid laye

1975 Technology Transfer Directory of People

A list of persons interested in the process of technology transfer.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Determinants of farmer adoption of organic production methods in the fresh-market produce sector in California: A logistic regression analysis

This research uses binomial and multinomial logistic regression models to identify the factors that influence farmers adoption of organic technology. Using a sample of 175 farmers growing fresh-market produce in three California counties, the first model examines farmers choice between conventional-only and organic-only production. The second model compares conventional-only and "dual-method" (combined conventional and organic) production, while the third model employs all three choices in a multinomial model. These results, which indicate that gross sales, direct marketing, number of crops and acres, farmer age, and computer usage are significant determinants, have implications on policies that regulate the organic foods sector.Production Economics,