Positioning Cotton in the Market for Quality: An Application of Market Segmentation for West Texas

This study provides guidance for cotton marketing efforts by determining major market segments with quality thresholds for West Texas. Given its present quality performance, great potential segments are from higher-end international segments with significant value-added. Moreover, the potential to serve these market segments is growing with improvements in production technology.cotton economics, market segmentation, needs assessment, West Texas cotton, Marketing, Q130, M310,

OPTIMAL GRADE DEFINITIONS FOR MULTIPLE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS

The growing importance of quality in agricultural markets makes effective segregation and grading essential to efficient marketing strategy. In this paper, we develop an economic model, potentially applicable to many products, to determine optimal segregation strategies based on multiple stochastic quality measures. The model is applied to Oklahoma wheat quality data.Marketing,

MEASURING COMPETITION FOR TEXTILES: DOES THE U.S. MAKE THE GRADE?

U.S. textile manufacturing is coming under increasing pressure from foreign competition. This paper evaluates the U.S. competitive position in the yarn segment using established quantifiable measures and provides an overall competitive assessment. The study found the industry in a relatively weak competitive position but that U.S. competitive position is improving.competitiveness, cotton yarn, revealed comparative advantage, tariff equivalent, International Relations/Trade, F29, L67, O57,

A GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR GRAIN BLENDING AND SEGREGATION

The Hennessy and Wahl model of optimal grain blending and segregation (GBS) is extended to the case where it is not possible to separate components within a load. Analytical solutions are not available when segregation is the optimal strategy, and so solutions are obtained with nonlinear optimization. The model is then used to determine the optimal sorting of hard red winter wheat by protein content. Most of the benefits from sorting can be obtained with only two bins.blending, grain, segregation, Crop Production/Industries,

MILL-LEVEL PRICE ESTIMATES FOR U.S. COTTON QUALITY

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/11/04.Demand and Price Analysis,

Study of Economic Impacts Derived from 2005 to 2009 Rural Texas Community Events and Factors that Predict Spending?

In this paper, we review the tourism impact from state supported events associated with Texas Rural Economic Development program and in the process of funding measure aspects of events that are found to be related to economic value. The economic values are the result of visitor spending and extrapolated to total event attendance creates economic value. Communities receiving funding were responsible for collecting visitor surveys to measure consumer spending as well as the community completing a survey to record descriptors of the event. The overall program results were that state support represented 14 percent of the total event investment and total event value from visitor spending created approximately $7.50 return for every$1 of state funding. However, this paper focuses on visitor spending and factors that contribute to economic impacts from those activities. The results indicate that there is a high positive correlation (Spearman Rho=.51) between miles traveled and visitor spending. Also found were significant low positive correlations for art events (r=.041) to higher spending while local heritage events had low negative correlations (r=-.038), which identifies lower spending. Visitors recognizing higher spending at events also visited surrounding communities and traveled over 60 miles to attend. Another target results was to measure the value of those traveling over 60 miles to attend, which resulted in recognized spending three-times above those traveling less than 60 miles ($129 versus$326 per person). In the area of advertising, web promotions were the only category related to higher spending values.rural economic impact, tourism value, economic development, tourism, rural tourism, travel spending, community events, tourism events, factors of tourism spending, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

VALUE OF INCREASING KERNEL UNIFORMITY

Kernel size uniformity is an important physical quality attribute in terms of processing efficiency, quality control, and milling yield. This study developed optimal grain sorting strategies for elevators to use to increase kernel size uniformity and determined the size of potential benefits from sorting. Cluster analysis and global optimization were used to sort grain loads to increase kernel size uniformity. Cluster analysis and global optimization increased the percent flour yield relative to no sorting by 0.13% and 0.32% respectively. Cluster analysis and global optimization increased the daily milling income relative to no sorting by 105 dollars (5%) and 266 dollars (13%) respectively.Crop Production/Industries,

VALUE OF INCREASING KERNEL UNIFORMITY

Kernel uniformity is an important quality attribute that can now be measured at low cost. This study analyzes the profitability of sorting to increase wheat kernel uniformity. Nonlinear programming is used to sort grain loads to maximize flour yield by increasing uniformity of kernel size and kernel hardness. Results of this analysis suggest increases in flour yield due to higher kernel uniformity are not enough to outweigh the costs of sorting.Crop Production/Industries,

A 2008-09 Assessment of Texas Department of Agriculture Programs to Support Rural Economic Tourism Events. How Strong Are These Economic Returns?

This paper determines the main forces that contribute to the creation of positive economic returns to the individual communities from TDA's supported rural tourism program and analyzes these economic returns.rural tourism, rural development, economic multiplier, return on investment, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Consumer Heterogeneity: Does It Affect Policy Responses to the Obesity Epidemic?

The fight against obesity in the U.S. has become a priority area for policy makers due to the additional health risks and health care costs. In developing policy to lower obesity rates, it is important to accurately characterize the impact that exercise, smoking and demographic characteristics have on BMI in order to draft effective policy. This analysis uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFS) to evaluate the relationship between behavioral and demographic factors with BMI while explicitly accounting for individual heterogeneity by using a quantile analysis. Results suggest that the effect of exercise, smoking, occupation and race vary by BMI quantile, indicating that consumers should be treated as heterogeneous at least for these factors in obesity policy and related analyses.Obesity, Quantile Regression, Heterogeneity, Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, I18,