COMPARING PRODUCTION OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES FOR TEXAS PANHANDLE PRODUCERS IN RESPONSE TO DECLINING WATER AVAILABILITY DUE TO DECLINE IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER

In response to the declining availability of irrigation water from the Ogallala aquifer, irrigation at the level where MVP=MFC increases net returns over either irrigating to maximize production or meet 100% of the evapotranspiration (PET) requirements. This prolongs the economic life of the aquifer and increases the efficiency of irrigation.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

UTILIZING CONDITIONAL PROBABILITIES IN DEVELOPING PRICE EXPECTATIONS FOR SELECTING OPTIMAL MARKETING ALTERNATIVES FOR FIXED RESOURCE COW/CALF OPERATORS IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE

The beef cattle enterprises for most of the 91% of producers in Texas with less than 100 cows represent secondary or supplemental enterprises utilizing discretionary labor and fixed physical resources. The decision making process is transformed from a variable resource allocation problem to a fixed resource problem. Reliable price and revenue expectation models are critical to selecting marketing alternatives that maximize the return to the fixed resource allocation. Price expectation models using expected values, price and revenue indexes, and conditional probabilities are developed using monthly average prices for 300-900 lb stocker steers at Amarillo, TX from 1992 to 2002.Livestock Production/Industries,

ESTIMATING THE MVP AND OPTIMUM IRRIGATION LEVEL FOR GRAIN SORGHUM UTILIZING EVAPOTRANSPIRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TEXAS PANHANDLE

Production data provided by commercial producers of grain sorghum is used to estimate response functions for three alternative management decision models. The evaluation of yield to the total water availability, irrigation, and water application as a percent of potential evapotranspiration. The three methods provide similar results, but each provides unique information and adds valuable information to the decision process. The value product functions and the energy cost function are used to determine the profit maximizing level of water application where adequate water to fully meet the crop needs is available and to determine the irrigation vs. no irrigation decision where water availability is limiting.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

A learning community two years on: reflecting on successes and framing futures

This paper reports the results of a participatory action research (PAR) evaluation conducted with the members of the Granite Belt Learners Group in their rural 'learning community' in South East Queensland, and presents an action research and evaluation framework to guide the community on the next stage of its journey

The Use of Weather Data and Evapotranspiration Requirements to Estimate the Marginal Value Product of Irrigation and the Profit Maximizing Irrigation Level for Corn in the Texas Panhandle

The declining availability of irrigation water from the Ogallala aquifer combined with increasing energy costs make irrigation strategies much more critical. Maximizing yield reduces profit by between $22 and$158 per acre depending on the combination of corn and natural gas prices.corn, irrigation efficiency, water response function, evapotranspiration, Crop Production/Industries, Land Economics/Use, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Economic Value of Groundwater Resources and Irrigated Agriculture in the Oklahoma Panhandle

An economic optimization model was developed using available groundwater resources in the Oklahoma Panhandle to estimate value of water for irrigated agriculture in the area. The model will serve as policy tool to analyze alternative water management strategies and conservation programs to assess the economic impact of depleting Ogallala Aquifer.Ogallala Aquifer, Irrigated Agriculture, Groundwater Conservation, Water Management Policy, Oklahoma Panhandle, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic Analysis of Water Conservation Policies in the Texas Panhandle

Due to declining water availability from the Ogallala Aquifer, management policy alternatives for extending the life of the aquifer to sustain rural economies in the Texas Panhandle are evaluated. The study concludes that water conservation policies for the region significantly impact crop mix, resource usage, and net present value of farm profits over a sixty-year planning horizon.Ogallala Aquifer, Groundwater Conservation, Water Management Policy, Texas Panhandle, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Economic Optimization of Groundwater Resources in the Texas Panhandle

Replaced with revised version of paper 05/04/06.Economic Optimization, Groundwater Resources, Input Efficiency, Irrigated Agriculture, Southern Ogallala Aquifer, Texas Panhandle, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

BSE, U.S. Beef Trade and Cattle Feeding Industry

A brief review of the beef and cattle market following the diagnosis of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada and U.S. in 2003 is conducted. The focus is on the recent changes in the beef market experienced by major exporting and importing countries with special emphasis on the beef trade and cattle industry in the U.S. A single case of BSE in the U.S. has significantly disrupted global beef trade. Many countries banned beef imports from the U.S. and Canada. Continuation of these bans through 2004, particularly for the U.S., resulted in reduced beef exports. Brazil has become the number one beef exporter with estimated exports of 1.47 million tons in 2004 and is forecast to export 1.62 million tons in 2005. U.S. is the largest beef importer in the world. U.S. beef exports were a record 1.143 million tons in 2003. Beef exports from the U.S. for 2004 have been 0.202 million tons, just 17.7 percent of 2003 exports. The value of beef export losses for 2004 has been estimated as $2.73 billion. U.S. is forecast to export 0.272 million tons in 2005, representing a 35 percent increase over 2004. However, the beef export forecast for 2005 is still far below the pre-BSE levels. On the other hand U.S. beef imports have increased from 1.36 million tons in 2003 to 1.63 million tons in 2004. Imports are expected to reach 1.7 million tons in 2005. The lack of Canadian beef and live cattle imports, in conjunction with already tight U.S. supplies and strong demand, drove both beef and cattle prices up in the latter part of 2003. However, a decline of 29 percent in beef prices was experienced from December 2003 until March 2004 after the diagnosis of BSE in the U.S. BSE has also impacted live cattle trade, especially among the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners.International Relations/Trade,

Developing digital interventions: a methodological guide.

Digital interventions are becoming an increasingly popular method of delivering healthcare as they enable and promote patient self-management. This paper provides a methodological guide to the processes involved in developing effective digital interventions, detailing how to plan and develop such interventions to avoid common pitfalls. It demonstrates the need for mixed qualitative and quantitative methods in order to develop digital interventions which are effective, feasible, and acceptable to users and stakeholders