Optimal Application of Swine Effluent in Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles Determined by Bayesian Stochastic Dynamic Programming

A Bayesian stochastic dynamic programming model was used to determine the most efficient time to apply swine effluent to corn production in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle area. The total expected ammonia losses when applications were made with and without using weather forecasts were also compared. The monetary values of the weather forecasts were estimated as the cost of additional nitrogen fertilizer to replace the nitrogen lost from nitrogen volatilization. The simulated ammonia loss from the actual hourly weather data showed that 35% of ammonia applied would be lost when the application was made between April 1-5. The expected loss increased to 50% when the application was delayed until May 11-15. The expected nitrogen loss was reduced to 25% when the producer made an application only upon receiving a favorable weather forecast and was willing to operate the pivot for a six-hour period either day or night. If the producer applied effluent on a 12-hour day time only schedule but applied only after receiving a favorable forecast, the expected loss declined from 35 % to 30%. With nitrogen at 0.50 per pound, the value of the forecast information for a 128 acre corn field was 780 and 430 for the six-hour application and twelve-hour daytime-only application methods, respectively. There was a benefit of 463 for the 128-acre corn field from applying the effluent on a flexible six-hour day and/or night method as opposed to the 12-hour daytime only schedule.Department of Agricultural Economic

Optimal Application of Swine Effluent under Stochastic Weather Conditions in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles

Ammonia Volatilization, Animal Waste, Irrigation, Swine Effluent, Target MOTAD, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

An Optimal Application of Swine Effluent in Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle Determined by Bayesian Stochastic Dynamic Programming

Swine Effluent Irrigation, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Determinants of Farm Decision to Enter Land Diversion: The Case of Upland Farmers in Northern Thailand

Mixed cropping has advantages to famers because it allows diversification for reducing risk, which caused by unfavorable weather and market price variability. This research aims to analyze and determine factors that influence farmer’s decision to transfer from growing traditional crops (a single crop such as corn and lychee) to diversified crops. The logit model was used to identify factors associated with the farmer’s decision. Models based on a face-face survey of 185 respondents from six villages in Lampang province belonging to the highland community of northern Thailand. The results showed that farmer’ decision to enter into land diversion was different in terms of farmers’ socio-economic factor such as the education level of the farmer and household debt. The government subsidy and technical assistance of the agricultural extension services also significantly influent the farmer’s decision to accept the crop diversified method

The Determinants of Farmers� Cropping Systems Adoption: A Case of the Upland Farmers in Northern Thailand

Lack of farming knowledge still appears in the remote areas of northern Thailand particularly among upland farmers who often use conventional farming and mono-cropping techniques. The cropping system involves a specialization skill in production from farmers and it does require a large quantity of land to meet and individual farmer’s need. Over the past decade, the forest cover in northern Thailand had dramatically decreased due to demands of land cultivation. As a multi-cropping system may provide advantages to the farmers, intercropping and sequential cropping system can help to minimize crop production and price risks. The system does not only give sufficient economic returns but it also provides a long-term ecological sustainability. This practice is a way to transform upland farmers into becoming more self-reliant. This research aimed to analyze and determine the key factors of farmers’ decision to adopt the multi-cropping practice. Logit model was applied in the study, and was based on a survey of 202 respondents from the highland communities of northern Thailand. The results showed that the famers’ education attainment, attitude toward environmental awareness, and household financial situation are important to their choice of practicing the multi-cropping system. Education and lower debt amount led to an increase in the probability of upland farmers to try the multi-cropping system. The households with larger farms are willing to use part of their available land to do the multi-cropping. An increase in the farmers’ level of environmental concern was also observed to increase the probability of the multi-cropping system being adopted