Economic Outlook for Representative Cotton Farms Given the August 2005 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University develops and maintains data to simulate eighteen representative cotton operations in major production areas of seven states. The chief purpose of this analysis is to project those farms’ economic viability for 2005 through 2009. The data necessary to simulate the economic activity of these operations is developed through ongoing cooperation with panels of agricultural producers in each of these states. The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) provided projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates in their August 2005 Baseline. Under the August 2005 Baseline, only the moderately sized Tennessee cotton farm (TNC1900) and Louisiana cotton farm (LAC2640) are considered in good liquidity condition (less than a 25 percent chance of negative ending cash during 2005-2009). Five cotton farms (TXSP3745, TXRP2500, TXMC3500, TXCB1850, and TNC4050) have between a 25 percent and a 50 percent likelihood of negative ending cash. The remaining eleven cotton farms have greater than a 50 percent chance of negative ending cash. Additionally, TNC1900 is the only farm in the set considered in good equity position (less than a 25 percent chance of decreasing real net worth during 2005-2009). Three cotton farms (TXRP2500, TXMC3500, and TXCB1850) have between a 25 percent and 50 percent likelihood of losing real net worth, and the remaining fourteen cotton farms have greater than a 50 percent probability of decreasing real net worth.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Method and apparatus for determining cardiac performance in a patient with a conductance catheter

An apparatus for determining cardiac performance in the patient. The apparatus includes a conductance catheter for measuring conductance and blood volume in a heart chamber of the patient. The apparatus includes a processor for determining instantaneous volume of the ventricle by applying a non-linear relationship between the measured conductance and the volume of blood in the heart chamber to identify mechanical strength of the chamber. The processor is in communication with the conductance catheter. Methods for determining cardiac performance in a patient. Apparatuses for determining cardiac performance in a patient.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Method and apparatus for monitoring an organ of a patient

An implanted device for an organ of a patient including a housing. The device includes a detector having electrodes that have a varying distance over time between them which produces a detector signal based on electrical signals derived from the organ. The device includes a signal processor disposed in the housing in communication with the detector which determines admittance from the detector signal based on the varying distance over time between the electrodes. The device includes a drive circuit disposed in the housing to cause the electrodes to generate emitted electrical signals. A method for monitoring a patient's organ.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Admittance measurement for tuning bi-ventricular pacemakers

An apparatus for treating a heart of a patient includes a first lead and at least a second lead for pacing the heart adapted to be in electrical communication with the heart. The apparatus includes a microcontroller in communication with the first and second leads which triggers the first lead at either different times or the same time from when the microcontroller triggers the second lead. Alternatively, the apparatus includes a microcontroller in communication with the first and second leads that determines heart volume, including stroke volume, end-systolic volume, and calculated values including ejection fraction, from admittance from signals from the first and second leads and uses the admittance as feedback to control heart volume ejected, as measured by stroke volume, calculated values such as ejection fraction, and control end-systolic volume, with respect to the first and second leads. A method for treating the heart of a patient.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

An estimate of \Omega_m without priors

Using mean relative peculiar velocity measurements for pairs of galaxies, we estimate the cosmological density parameter $\Omega_m$ and the amplitude of density fluctuations $\sigma_8$. Our results suggest that our statistic is a robust and reproducible measure of the mean pairwise velocity and thereby the $\Omega_m$ parameter. We get $\Omega_m = 0.30^{+0.17}_{-0.07}$ and $\sigma_8 = 1.13^{+0.22}_{-0.23}$. These estimates do not depend on prior assumptions on the adiabaticity of the initial density fluctuations, the ionization history, or the values of other cosmological parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, slight changes to reflect published versio

Economic Outlook for Representative Cotton Farms Given the August 2003 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The farm level economic impacts of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 on representative cotton farms are projected in this report. The analysis was conducted over the 2001-2007 planning horizon using FLIPSIM, AFPC’s whole farm simulation model. Data to simulate farming operations in the nation’s major cotton production regions came from two sources: - Producer panel cooperation to develop economic information to describe and simulate representative cotton farms. - Projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) August 2003 Baseline. The primary objective of the analysis is to determine the farms’ economic viability by region through the life of the 2002 Farm Bill, given sector level conditions projected in the August 2003 FAPRI Baseline. The FLIPSIM policy simulation model incorporates the historical risk faced by cotton farmers for prices and production. This report presents the results of the August 2003 Baseline in a risk context using selected simulated probabilities and ranges for annual net cash farm income values. The probability of a farm experiencing annual cash flow deficits and the probability of a farm losing real net worth are included as indicators of the cash flow and equity risks facing farms through the year 2007. This report is organized into five sections. The first section summarizes the process used to develop the representative farms and the key assumptions utilized for the farm level analysis. The second section summarizes the FAPRI August 2003 Baseline and the policy and price assumptions used for the representative farm analyses. The third section presents the results of the simulation analyses for cotton farms. Two appendices constitute the final section of the report. Appendix A provides tables to summarize the physical and financial characteristics for each of the representative farms. Appendix B provides the names of producers, land grant faculty, and industry leaders who cooperated in the panel interview process to develop the representative cotton farms.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Representative Farms Economic Outlook for the January 2003 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The farm level economic impacts of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 on representative crop and livestock operations are projected in this report. The analysis was conducted over the 2001-2007 planning horizon using FLIPSIM, AFPC’s whole farm simulation model. Data to simulate farming operations in the nation’s major production regions came from two sources: - Producer panel cooperation to develop economic information to describe and simulate representative crop, livestock, and dairy farms. - Projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) January 2003 Baseline. The FLIPSIM policy simulation model incorporates the historical risk faced by farmers for prices and production. This report presents the results of the January 2003 Baseline in a risk context using selected simulated probabilities and ranges for annual net cash farm income values. The probability of a farm experiencing annual cash flow deficits and the probability of a farm losing real net worth are included as indicators of the cash flow and equity risks facing farms through the year 2007.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Representative Farms Economic Outlook for the January 2003 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The farm level economic impacts of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 on representative crop and livestock operations are projected in this report. The analysis was conducted over the 2001-2007 planning horizon using FLIPSIM, AFPC’s whole farm simulation model. Data to simulate farming operations in the nation’s major production regions came from two sources: - Producer panel cooperation to develop economic information to describe and simulate representative crop, livestock, and dairy farms. - Projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) January 2003 Baseline. The primary objective of the analysis is to determine the farms’ economic viability by region and commodity throughout the life of the 2002 Farm Bill. The FLIPSIM policy simulation model incorporates the historical risk faced by farmers for prices and production. This report presents the results of the January 2003 Baseline in a risk context using selected simulated probabilities and ranges for annual net cash farm income values. The probability of a farm experiencing annual cash flow deficits and the probability of a farm losing real net worth are included as indicators of the cash flow and equity risks facing farms through the year 2007. This report is organized into ten sections. The first section summarizes the process used to develop the representative farms and the key assumptions utilized for the farm level analysis. The second section summarizes the FAPRI January 2003 Baseline and the policy and price assumptions used for the representative farm analyses. The third through sixth sections present the results of the simulation analyses for feed grain, wheat, cotton, and rice farms. The seventh through ninth sections summarize simulation results for dairy, cattle and hog farms. Two appendices constitute the final section of the report. Appendix A provides tables to summarize the physical and financial characteristics for each of the representative farms. Appendix B provides the names of producers, land grant faculty, and industry leaders who cooperated in the panel interview process to develop the representative farms.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Representative Farms Economic Outlook for the January 2004 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The farm level economic impacts of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 on representative crop and livestock operations are projected in this report. The analysis was conducted over the 2001-2008 planning horizon using FLIPSIM, AFPC’s whole farm simulation model. Data to simulate farming operations in the nation’s major production regions came from two sources: - Producer panel cooperation to develop economic information to describe and simulate representative crop, livestock, and dairy farms, and - Projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) January 2004 Baseline. The FLIPSIM policy simulation model incorporates the historical risk faced by farmers for prices and production. This report presents the results of the January 2004 Baseline in a risk context using selected simulated probabilities and ranges for annual net cash farm income values. The probability of a farm experiencing annual cash flow deficits and the probability of a farm losing real net worth are included as indicators of the cash flow and equity risks facing farms through the year 2008.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Representative Farms Economic Outlook for the December 2005 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University develops and maintains data to simulate 102 representative crop and livestock operations in major production areas in 28 states. The chief purpose of this analysis is to project those farms’ economic viability for 2005 through 2011. The data necessary to simulate the economic activity of these operations is developed through ongoing cooperation with panels of agricultural producers in each of these states. The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) provided projected prices, policy variables, and input inflation rates in their December 2005 Baseline. Under the December 2005 Baseline, 12 of the 66 crop farms are considered in good liquidity condition (less than a 25 percent chance of negative ending cash during 2005-2011). Five crop farms have between a 25 percent and a 50 percent likelihood of negative ending cash. The remaining 49 crop farms have greater than a 50 percent of negative ending cash. Additionally, 22 of the 66 crop farms are considered in good equity position (less than a 25 percent chance of decreasing real net worth during 2005-2011). Ten crop farms have between a 25 percent and 50 percent likelihood of losing real net worth, and 34 crop farms have greater than a 50 percent probability of decreasing real net worth.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Livestock Production/Industries,