Replaced with revised version of paper 08/31/06.

Research is ongoing to develop sensor-based systems to determine crop nitrogen needs. The objective is to determine the expected maximum value of an in season precision nitrogen application system for winter wheat. Farmers could not afford to pay much more than $9 per acre for a precision system.

Changes in the U.S. peanut program have resulted in drastically decreased planted acres and forced many peanut producers in the Southwest to consider alternative crops. This study examined the economic risk associated with producing peanuts and common alternatives to peanuts. Seedless watermelon...

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/15/06.

The use of surveys as a data collection method gained its popularity in recent years. However, one needs to be aware of the possibility to make measurement errors due to incorrect surveys design. The way how a question is asked and the choice the respondents have to choose from shape the sample...

We introduce a modeling framework called Transaction Cost Economics to help decision makers in rural health care markets choose among alternative organizational relationships in order to more cost-effectively deliver healthcare services. In particular, the hospital-physician relationship is...

An optimization model to sequence wine flow through the production process is developed. The model is formulated as a mixed integer program and accounts for winemaking specifications, market conditions, grape availability, and tank capacity. An empirical example is provided to demonstrate...

This paper develops a management zone delineation procedure based on a spatial statistics approach and evaluates its economic impact for the case of Texas cotton production. With the use of an optimization model that utilizes a yield response function estimated through spatial econometric...

Economic returns to stocker production were estimated using results of a grazing experiment. If resources to buy cattle are not limited, traditional ownership was superior to contract grazing under all but extremely unfavorable price spreads. If capital to purchase stockers is limited, contract...

The stochastic impact of the "climatic fluctuation effect" is introduced in the traditional determinant timber growth model and optimal harvesting strategies are derived under different stochastic "climatic fluctuation effect" patterns. Results show that properties of different patterns...