THE UTILITY OF MULTIPLE PERIL CROP INSURANCE FOR IRRIGATED, MULTIPLE-CROP AGRICULTURE

The usefulness of FCIC multiple peril crop insurance on diversified, irrigated, high yielding farms in the Imperial Valley is examined. Production data and expected price and yield distributions were collected from thirty-two farm managers in 1982. Individual whole-farm net income distributions then were used to elicit their risk preferences. Participation in FCIC crop insurance for cotton, wheat, and sugar beets under the existing program and under several alternatives was predicted. Predicted participation never exceeds 25% of eligible growers. Low maximum yield guarantees and premiums inconsistent with individual yield experience are identified as factors limiting participation.Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

THE ECONOMICS OF THE BASE AND YIELD UPDATE DECISION

The 2002 Farm Bill provided the one time opportunity to update base acres and counter-cyclical payment yields to more closely reflect their current crops, rotations and yield levels. This paper discusses the available options and provides case study examples to illustrate the complexity of this decision.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Estimation of Farm-Forward Regional Economic Impacts for the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in Texas

Impacts of alternative agricultural water conservation strategies are being evaluated in the Texas Panhandle. Stakeholders have expressed concern that all effects need to be accounted for including the regional economy. A methodology was developed to evaluate the effects on the backward and forward-linked processing sectors and differentiated results are presented.backward-linked, forward-linked, IMPLAN, Ogallala Aquifer, water policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q18, Q32, Q38,

Biological Control of Giant Reed (Arundo donax): Economic Aspects

Arundo donax is a large, invasive weed consuming large quantities of water in the riparian area of the Texas Rio Grande Basin. With water availability a concern to the area, the USDA-ARS is investigating biological control agents to increase available water, creating a benefit to both the region’s economy and society in general.Arundo donax, Giant Reed, Water, Economics, Invasive, Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Space station common module network topology and hardware development

Conceptual space station common module power management and distribution (SSM/PMAD) network layouts and detailed network evaluations were developed. Individual pieces of hardware to be developed for the SSM/PMAD test bed were identified. A technology assessment was developed to identify pieces of equipment requiring development effort. Equipment lists were developed from the previously selected network schematics. Additionally, functional requirements for the network equipment as well as other requirements which affected the suitability of specific items for use on the Space Station Program were identified. Assembly requirements were derived based on the SSM/PMAD developed requirements and on the selected SSM/PMAD network concepts. Basic requirements and simplified design block diagrams are included. DC remote power controllers were successfully integrated into the DC Marshall Space Flight Center breadboard. Two DC remote power controller (RPC) boards experienced mechanical failure of UES 706 stud-mounted diodes during mechanical installation of the boards into the system. These broken diodes caused input to output shorting of the RPC's. The UES 706 diodes were replaced on these RPC's which eliminated the problem. The DC RPC's as existing in the present breadboard configuration do not provide ground fault protection because the RPC was designed to only switch the hot side current. If ground fault protection were to be implemented, it would be necessary to design the system so the RPC switched both the hot and the return sides of power

Viper cabin-fuselage structural design concept with engine installation and wing structural design

This report describes the process and considerations in designing the cabin, nose, drive shaft, and wing assemblies for the 'Viper' concept aircraft. Interfaces of these assemblies, as well as interfaces with the sections of the aircraft aft of the cabin, are also discussed. The results of the design process are included. The goal of this project is to provide a structural design which complies with FAR 23 requirements regarding occupant safety, emergency landing loads, and maneuvering loads. The design must also address the interfaces of the various systems in the cabin, nose, and wing, including the drive shaft, venting, vacuum, electrical, fuel, and control systems. Interfaces between the cabin assembly and the wing carrythrough and empennage assemblies were required, as well. In the design of the wing assemblies, consistency with the existing cabin design was required. The major areas considered in this report are materials and construction, loading, maintenance, environmental considerations, wing assembly fatigue, and weight. The first three areas are developed separately for the nose, cabin, drive shaft, and wing assemblies, while the last three are discussed for the entire design. For each assembly, loading calculations were performed to determine the proper sizing of major load carrying components. Table 1.0 lists the resulting margins of safety for these key components, along with the types of the loads involved, and the page number upon which they are discussed

Environmental controls on daytime net community calcification on a Red Sea reef flat

Coral growth and carbonate accumulation form the foundation of the coral reef ecosystem. Changes in environmental conditions due to coastal development, climate change, and ocean acidification may pose a threat to net carbonate production in the near future. Controlled laboratory studies demonstrate that calcification by corals and coralline algae is sensitive to changes in aragonite saturation state (Ωa), as well as temperature, light, and nutrition. Studies also show that the dissolution rate of carbonate substrates is impacted by changes in carbonate chemistry. The sensitivity of coral reefs to these parameters must be confirmed and quantified in the natural environment in order to predict how coral reefs will respond to local and global changes, particularly ocean acidification. We estimated the daytime hourly net community metabolic rates, both net community calcification (NCC) and net community productivity (NCP), at Sheltered Reef, an offshore platform reef in the central Red Sea. Average NCC was 8 ± 3 mmol m[superscript −2] h[superscript −1] in December 2010 and 11 ± 1 mmol m[superscript −2] h[superscript −1] in May 2011, and NCP was 21 ± 7 mmol m[superscript −2] h[superscript −1] in December 2010 and 44 ± 4 mmol m[superscript −2] h[superscript −1] in May 2011. We also monitored a suite of physical and chemical properties to help relate the rates at Sheltered Reef to published rates from other sites. While previous research shows that short-term field studies investigating the NCC–Ωa relationship have differing results due to confounding factors, it is important to continue estimating NCC in different places, seasons, and years, in order to monitor changes in NCC versus Ω in space and time, and to ultimately resolve a broader understanding of this relationship.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Graduate Research Fellowship

Economic Analysis of Cellulosic Feedstock for Bioenergy in the Texas Rio Grande Valley

Farm Management,

Face-Sheet Quality Analysis and Thermo-Physical Property Characterization of OOA and Autoclave Panels

Increased application of polymer matrix composite (PMC) materials in large vehicle structures requires consideration of non-autoclave manufacturing technology. The NASA Composites for Exploration project, and its predecessor, Lightweight Spacecraft Structures and Materials project, were tasked with the development of materials and manufacturing processes for structures that will perform in a heavy-lift-launch vehicle environment. Both autoclave and out of autoclave processable materials were considered. Large PMC structures envisioned for such a vehicle included the payload shroud and the interstage connector. In this study, composite sandwich panels representing 1/16th segments of the barrel section of the Ares V rocket fairing were prepared as 1.8 m x 2.4 m sections of the 10 m diameter arc segment. IM7/977-3 was used as the face-sheet prepreg of the autoclave processed panels and T40-800B/5320-1 for the out of autoclave panels. The core was 49.7 kilograms per square meters (3.1 pounds per cubic feet (pcf)) aluminum honeycomb. Face-sheets were fabricated by automated tape laying 153 mm wide unidirectional tape. This work details analysis of the manufactured panels where face-sheet quality was characterized by optical microscopy, cured ply thickness measurements, acid digestion, and thermal analysis

EFFECTS OF EMPHASIZING DECOUPLED VERSUS COUPLED POLICY TOOLS IN THE 2002 FARM BILL

The 1996 and 2002 farm bills moved government support toward decoupled tools rather than support coupled to production and/or prices. This paper analyzes whether areas with more production risk would prefer decoupled or coupled support. The results indicate areas with more yield risk would prefer decoupled payments and vice versa.Agricultural and Food Policy,