AN EVALUATION OF TEACHING EVALUATIONS: WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?

Student evaluation of teaching helps determine faculty merit ratings. A multinomial choice, ordered data model is used to identify factors having high statistical relevance with respect to value of the course and quality of instruction. Some results agree with findings from outside Agriculture, but there are interesting exceptions.Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

THE ROLE OF SOIL TEST INFORMATION IN REDUCING GROUNDWATER POLLUTION

Will nitrogen soil testing improve groundwater quality enough to decrease the demand for direct regulation? This question is addressed using a dynamic simulation model of irrigated agriculture in eastern Oregon. Results indicate that soil testing reduces applied nitrogen, increases farm profits and improves groundwater quality, but not enough to avoid regulation.Environmental Economics and Policy,

What Should Farmers Pay for Cash Rents

Determining what to pay for cash rental rates is a big problem for most farmers. Typically, crop budgets are used for this decision. However, problems arise from this approach because the average revenue contained in the budget is often not the true marginal revenue. Farm size differences certainly affect the average and thus the marginal revenue. This paper calculates the true marginal revenue per acre so that a better estimate can be made of the cash rental rate. Farm analysis data is used to calculate the total revenue per acre. The first derivative then gives the marginal revenue.Land Economics/Use,

USING ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED (EVA) TO EXAMINE FARM BUSINESSES

The four profitability measures recommended by the Farm Financial Standards Task Force have limitations for examining wealth creation. Non-farm corporations, by contrast, have started to use Economic Value Added (EVA) to measure wealth creation. EVA has some advantages over other financial ratios because it fully accounts for the resources used on the farm and it includes both realized and unrealized capital gains in the calculation. This article examines the EVA metric for three years of farm financial data to determine if it provides additional information about wealth creation and profitability than do the other four ratios. Factors that help predict EVA are also examined.Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YIELD RISK AND AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS

Crop insurance provides risk reduction benefits yet may increase planted acres in risky areas. This paper investigates the relationship between environmental quality and crop insurance induced changes in cropping pattern. Results suggest that yield risk and soil erosion are positively correlated for the majority of acreage in the study area.Environmental Economics and Policy, Risk and Uncertainty,

The Supply of Private Acreage for Public Recreational Use in Southern and Central Appalachia

Public lands in Southern and Central Appalachia (SCA) available for outdoor recreational pursuits are limited relative to the rest of the county. This study identifies factors that encourage private land owners to permit public access to their land for recreational purposes and determines how much acreage would be offered in the Southern and Central Appalachia region. The Tobit and Heckman’s sample selection models suggest that the probability of offering land to the public is correlated with the number of acres offered. Having acreage suited for recreation is a positive determinant of acres leased but attributes developed by the landowner act as a disincentive. Type of recreational activity has no effect on the landowner’s decision and the supply of recreational acreage is inelastic with respect to price.private land lease, recreational activities, Tobit model, Heckman’s sample selection model, public recreational use, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, Q24, Q26,

ESTIMATED IMPACT OF NON-PRICE COORDINATION OF FED CATTLE PURCHASES ON MEAT PACKER PROCESSING COSTS

Stochastic simulation of daily slaughter level was used in conjunction with an estimated packing plant cost curve to assess potential reductions in processing costs due to improved vertical coordination between feedlots and packing plants. Results indicate that processing cost reductions of $1 to$5 per head may be possible. Savings result from ensuring a more stable processing volume that is near the plant's cost-minimizing level of production.cattle, cost curve, meat packing, vertical coordination, Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

Impact of Changes in U.S. Grain Standards on Discounts for Insects in Stored Grain

The Federal Grain Inspection Service changed U.S. grain standards in 1988. Insect discounts given at country elevators and at terminal elevators were analyzed to determine impacts of the new standards. Insect discounts influence grain quality by affecting insect control decisions by producers and country elevator managers.Grain Inspection, Insect Discounts, Wheat, Farm Storage, Elevator Storage, Crop Production/Industries,

Economic Feasibility of Impermeable Lagoon Covers

Environmental Economics and Policy,

An Economic Evaluation of Commercial Paddlefish (Polydon spathula) Production

Potential changes in the tobacco program have prompted research of aquaculture crops in Kentucky. Using a dynamic, programming model, this paper evaluates two methods for producing pond-raised paddlefish to assess if either method is economically viable in Kentucky. Results indicate that a polyculture system with catfish is profitable.Key Words: Aquaculture, dynamic programming, paddlefish, production economics