Determinants of producer resiliency: investigating the probability that agricultural producers exit the industry in the face of drought

2013 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.For the last two years agricultural producers in Colorado have been faced with severe drought conditions resulting in significant economic losses. With a changing climate, likely leading to an increased probability of extreme and recurring droughts, it is becoming an ever more important policy concern to determine the effect that drought has on the resiliency of farmers and ranchers. To date, research on farmer resiliency in the developed countries has primarily been theoretical; the majority of empirical work focused on producers in developing countries. This paper analyzes survey data collected from 2012 to investigate which factors impact farmer and rancher drought resiliency within Colorado. Specifically, we are interested in determining if, and how, continued drought impacts the likelihood that farmers and ranchers will leave the industry. Results highlight the relative importance that a producer's overall wealth and the region where their enterprise operates

Treatment of a Professional Degree or a License in a Marital Dissolution

Treatment of a Professional Degree or a License in a Marital Dissolutio

Evaluation of Utah\u27s Prereferral Intervention Mandate

The primary purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of Utah\u27s prereferral intervention policy on the numbers of mildly handicapped students receiving special education services. Associated with this purpose, the study was also designed to identify the (a) types of prereferral intervention procedures available in school districts, (b) extent to which the procedures were implemented by schools, (c) effectiveness of the prereferral intervention procedures for maintaining students with handicaps in regular education, and (d) degree of prereferral intervention inservice training. In addition, LEA officials\u27 perceptions regarding the prereferral intervention process were also examined. It was expected, in light of previous research, that the prereferral intervention mandate would decrease the numbers of students classified (a) mildly handicapped, (b) learning disabled, (c) behavior disordered, and (d) intellectually handicapped. Because there was no information to suggest otherwise, it was also expected that the mandate would fail to have a differential effect on rural and urban school districts and on the numbers of students classified as severely intellectually handicapped (control variable), whereas the degree of prereferral intervention inservice training provided teachers was expected to exert a systematic influence on the outcomes. Results of the evaluation showed that the prereferral intervention mandate failed to impact the numbers of students classified (a) mildly handicapped, (b) learning disabled, (c) behavior disordered, and (d) intellectually handicapped, and (e) severely intellectually handicapped (control variable). The mandate also failed to have a differential effect on rural and urban school districts. In addition, the results of the survey indicated that LEAs have implemented a variety of prereferral intervention procedures. However, within school districts, the number of schools implementing the procedures varied. LEA officials were uncertain whether the prereferral intervention procedures were effective or whether they should be maintained. LEA officials also indicated that teachers fail to benefit from their participation in the prereferral intervention process. Furthermore, they were uncertain whether the process is a bureaucratic hurdle and whether it should be maintained. (116 pages

Designing Supportive School Environments

There is no question that all students, especially those with serious emotional disturbance, benefit from a predictable, consistent, well-organized, and safe school environment. The purpose of this paper is to describe and illustrate an effective approach that has had positive results in achieving such a school environment. Specifically, the paper describes how to achieve effective ecological arrangements and common area routines across the school environment. In addition, we present a case study with preliminary results

Adaptations to drought: evidence from ag producer survey

July 2013.Colorado's ongoing drought is in its significant geographic reach and economic impacts. For Ncondition, reduces cow condition and leads to difficulty in locating critical feed inputs. These production losses generally reduce revenues although declining receipts may be partially offset by higher prices. Yet, the drought's impacts to the farm or ranch business are not contained within a single season. Much like reservoir levels that are drawn down and may take years to replenish, the impact of a drought can reduce a farm or ranch's equity position making it difficult to service debt or take advantage of future investment opportunities. Equity erosion may take years to rebuild. In this article, recent drought survey responses are described in order to characterize the potential longer term impacts of drought. Emphasis is placed on production losses and producers' mitigating actions. While it is difficult to forecast the length of the recovery period for Colorado farmers and ranchers, their adaptations and changing production activities in 2012 do indicate the severity and persistence of financial stress

2012 drought in Colorado: estimates of foregone revenues, indirect and induced economic activity for the crop sector

August 2013.Precipitation, whether realized as rain showers during the growing season or stored as snowmelt in reservoirs, is critical for crop and pasture production in Colorado. Drought is the persistent absence of precipitation, and this lack of moisture results in reduced yields, fewer harvested acres and less forage for livestock. Since October of 2010, extreme drought has plagued agricultural producers throughout much of Southern Colorado, and in May of 2012 the drought advanced to encompass the entire state. Agriculture is absorbing faced with economic hardship and drought impacts statewide. The primary objective of this research is to describe and quantify the broader economic impacts of the drought on agricultural productivity and allied economic activity in Colorado. The scope of the analysis takes three forms: a description of agricultural production and prices received for important Colorado crops; calculation of actual 2012 crop revenues juxtaposed against what might have been received if harvested acres and yields were consistent with historical averages; and a broader estimate of the drought's economic impact by accounting for reduced input purchases and wages spent locally

A Study of Home Emergent Literacy Experiences of Young Latino English Learners

This empirical study explored the home environment literacy practices of young Latino English learners and their families. The participants were 217 incoming Kindergarten Latino EL students and parents. The data collection included a completed HLEQ by the parents. In addition, children were administered the PPVT, the pre- LAS, the PALS-K screening, the Woodcock Reading Mastery assessment, and the Wide Range Achievement test. All of the literacy assessments given to the children provided the researchers with comprehensive look at their literacy knowledge base. The results of this study indicate that there were two significant paths for students’ achievement: availability of books and child initiated literacy factors that were directly related to the phonological processing efforts of students

Water Quality Sampling, Analysis and Annual Load Determinations for TSS, Nitrogen and Phosphorus at the Washington County Road 76 Bridge on Ballard Creek

The Illinois River Basin has experienced water quality impairment from non-point source pollution for many years. This fact was well documented in the State of Arkansas\u27 Water Quality Assessment report, the Soil Conservation Service River Basin Study, and several University of Arkansas, Fayetteville studies. Thirty-seven sub-watersheds have been identified by the SCS in the Arkansas portion of the Illinois River basin. In the Arkansas portion of the Basin, the Illinois River, Evansville Creek, Baron Fork, Cincinnati Creek, Muddy Fork, Moores Creek, Clear Creek, Osage Creek and Flint Creek were all classified as not supporting their designated use as primary contact recreation streams. The identified causes of the impairment were: sediment, bacteria and nutrients. In 1997, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville completed a project that estimated the phosphorus loading from each of the thirty-seven sub-watersheds. This project also prioritized watersheds for implementation work based on phosphorus loads, nitrogen loads and total suspended solids loads per unit area. The thirty-seven subwatersheds were grouped into Low (16), Medium (10) and High (11) categories based on phosphorus loadings. If all the sub-watersheds above the median value for on phosphorus loading in the Illinois River basin were brought down to the current median value for phosphorus loading, this reduction would result in the agreed to 40% reduction of phosphorus at the state line. The selection of a sub-watershed for targeted intensive voluntary BMP implementation was based on the following criteria: a) the sub-watershed had to be above the current median value for phosphorus loading, b) there would be no sewage treatment plant in the sub-watershed, and c) land user interest. The Upper Ballard Creek watershed met all these requirements. The watershed covers 7106.24 hectares. The creek is currently in the High category with a unit area loading of 1.75 kg. per hectare per year. The median value for the thirty-seven watersheds is 0.73 kg. per hectare per year

Interrelationships among Language Skills, Externalizing Behavior, and Academic Fluency and Their Impact on the Academic Skills of Students with ED

There is growing interest in understanding the factors that influence the academic achievement of students with emotional disturbance (ED). Structural equation modeling was used to test the interrelationships among language skills, externalizing behavior, and academic fluency and their impact on the academic skills of students with ED. Results showed that language skills exerted a significant proximal effect and distal effect on academic skills. The effect of language skills was mediated through academic fluency (path coefficient = .389) but also had a proximal effect on academic skills (path coefficient = .359). However, externalizing behavior failed to have a statistically significant effect on language skills, academic fluency, or academic skills. Overall, fit indices suggested a marginally acceptable fit of the data. Results and implications are discussed