Irrigated crop production economics and land lease arrangements

Presented at the 2006 Central Plains irrigation conference on February 21-22 in Colby, Kansas.Includes bibliographical references

The Economics of Selling Crop Residue Biomass for Cellulosic Ethanol Production at the Farm Level

A partial budget decision making framework has been developed to assist crop producers in analyzing the profitability of selling cellulosic biomass from their fields for ethanol production. A multidisciplinary approach is taken in assessing the agronomic and economic factors relevant to biomass contract sales decisions – with direct application made to western Great Plains cropping systems and enterprises. Within this framework the benefits of increased revenue from cellulosic biomass contract sales and potential government assistance payments are considered against possible decreased revenue from diminished crop yields resulting from less crop residue cover and subsequent soil moisture evaporation. Increased biomass harvesting and handling are also considered, as is the cost of replacing crop nutrients removed as part of biomass harvest operations. Examples of the profitability of cellulosic biomass contract sales in center pivot irrigated corn and non-irrigated wheat enterprises are shown.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

USE OF ALTERNATIVE DEPRECIATION METHODS TO ESTIMATE FARM TRACTOR VALUES

Six depreciation methods were used to simulate the value of farm tractors with indexed and expected prices. Accuracy of simulated values was evaluated using paired t-tests of mean absolute percentage errors and forecast accuracy regression models. Results varied with age and use. Some depreciation methods were more accurate than others.Farm Management, Financial Economics,

2007 Farm Bill Forums: Issues and Options

A Series of Farm Bill Educational Meetings for Producers and Interested Policy Stakeholders in Kansas and Nebraska. The debate on the 2007 Farm Bill has begun in earnest in Washington. The new Congress has already convened several hearings on farm policy issues, including energy and conservation. The Administration has just released its policy recommendations for the new farm bill, opening up further discussion that will grow over the coming months. The current farm bill, passed in 2002, runs through September 2007 and includes programs covering the 2007-2008 crop year. Before it expires, Congress will need to reconcile the current discussion and debate and either pass a new farm bill or an extension of the current one. While the discussion and development of the new farm bill will be played out over the coming months, it is important to remember several fundamental factors that drive the debate. Drawing from an old adage, “farm bills are always a product of their times.” While the exact setting changes from farm bill to farm bill, the same key factors continue to drive the debate. The economic setting, the budget setting, the trade arena, and the political climate all influence the development of each farm bill. Understanding each of these drivers is a fundamental part of understanding the potential new farm bill

2007 Farm Bill Forums: Issues and Options

A Series of Farm Bill Educational Meetings for Producers and Interested Policy Stakeholders in Kansas and Nebraska. The debate on the 2007 Farm Bill has begun in earnest in Washington. The new Congress has already convened several hearings on farm policy issues, including energy and conservation. The Administration has just released its policy recommendations for the new farm bill, opening up further discussion that will grow over the coming months. The current farm bill, passed in 2002, runs through September 2007 and includes programs covering the 2007-2008 crop year. Before it expires, Congress will need to reconcile the current discussion and debate and either pass a new farm bill or an extension of the current one. While the discussion and development of the new farm bill will be played out over the coming months, it is important to remember several fundamental factors that drive the debate. Drawing from an old adage, “farm bills are always a product of their times.” While the exact setting changes from farm bill to farm bill, the same key factors continue to drive the debate. The economic setting, the budget setting, the trade arena, and the political climate all influence the development of each farm bill. Understanding each of these drivers is a fundamental part of understanding the potential new farm bill

A comparison of forage yield and quality in a simulated graze-out for twelve varieties of hard red and white winter wheat

Six hard white winter wheat varieties (Burchett, Lakin, NuFrontier, NuHills, Nu- Horizon, and Trego) and six hard red winter wheat varieties (2137, Jagalene, Jagger, OK101, Stanton, and Thunderbolt) were planted in two southwestern Kansas counties, Clark and Stanton, to compare simulated graze-out forage yield and quality. Four replicated plots were planted in September 2003 for each variety at each location. Forage samples were collect from each plot during December 2003, March 2004, and April or May 2004. Dry matter content, dry matter yield, crude protein, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energy (NEm, NEg), relative feed value (RFV), and nitrate nitrogen were determined. Significant location-by-variety interactions were observed for most factors. Although significant differences in crude protein and energy were detected, it is unlikely that the performance of stock cattle would differ when grazing each of the varieties because the lowest crude protein concentration would support excellent gain, and because the differences in energy were relatively small

Proceedings of the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference, Colby Kansas, February 24-25, 2009

Presented at the the 21st annual Central Plains irrigation conference on February 24-25, 2009 in Colby, Kansas.Includes bibliographical references

A Risk Analysis of Converting CRP Acres to a Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotation

This study examines the economic potential of producing a wheat (Triticum aesitivum) and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) rotation with three different tillage strategies compared to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in a semi-arid region. This research uses stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) to determine the preferred management strategies under various risk preferences and utility-weighted certainty equivalent risk premiums. Yields, input rates, and field operations from an experimental field in western Kansas are used to calculate net returns for each tillage strategy. Although current net returns to crop production using reduced tillage and no-tillage strategies are higher than CRP, risk analysis indicates CRP would be the preferred strategy for some risk-averse managers.Conservation Reserve Program, conservation tillage, simulation, sorghum, wheat, risk, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use, Risk and Uncertainty,

An Efficient Irrigation Technology for Alfalfa Growers

A trial on the suitability of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) was conducted on a producer\u27s field. The soil is sandy loam. The treatments included drip tape spacing of 60, 40, and 30 inches, placed at 18- and 12-inch depth. A nearby center pivot sprinkler irrigated plot was seeded to alfalfa as a control. Seedling emergence and yield was adversely affected at 60-inch spacing. The depth of placement of drip tapes (18 and 12 inch) showed no effect. The site served for Extension education and allowed comparison between SDI tape spacing and center pivot system

Proceedings of the 24th annual Central Plains irrigation conference

Presented at Proceedings of the 24th annual Central Plains irrigation conference held on February 21-22 in Colby, Kansas.Includes bibliographical references