We estimate the contract prices that must be paid to grow cellulosic energy crops, and the costs of harvesting and transporting those crops in the Beaumont, TX area. Results indicate that the delivered price would range between $54 and $101 per ton of dry matter depending on the specific crop.

The projections for feed and milk prices have changed over the last year. This study looks at how the changes affect the dairy industry. The high feed prices have been trumped by higher milk prices and the economic viability of the dairy industry has improved across the board.

The resurgence of interest in ethanol production has also prompted interest in Texas. Projected net present values for ethanol plant investment are well below zero for corn based ethanol plants, but are positive for sorghum. Sensitivity analysis indicates relatively small increases in ethanol...

Increased acreage planting flexibility granted through the last three farm bills has allowed agricultural producers to make production choices without government programs driving their decisions. Planted acre data for program crops in seven Texas regions is used to describe response to varying...

We estimate the effect of lifting the fruit and vegetable cropping restriction on cropping preference in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, using a stochastic simulation model and Stochastic Efficiency analysis. Results suggest that, based on risk-adjusted net returns, lifting the cropping restriction...

Three marketing strategies (selling a put option, cash sale at harvest, and cash sale in June) are simulated based on historical values and ranked based on certainty equivalents for a representative irrigated and dryland cotton farm Scenario analysis is also used to compare varying yield values.

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

Brazil is the fourth largest country in milk production and both production and consumption of dairy products are growing fast. However, it is unknown how the dairy sector reacts to exogenous shocks. A structural econometric model of the Brazilian dairy sector is used to analyze the consequences...

This paper reports SERF analysis to help rice landlords in the Upper Coastal Bend of Texas evaluate alternative crop insurance combinations of yield loss and prevented planting coverage levels given uncertainty related to surface irrigation water curtailment. For baseline and high curtailment...

Explaining the details and the impacts of government program provisions to agricultural producers can be a challenge for extension educators. This paper introduces a visual interactive tool that demonstrates the calculations of government payments established in the 2002 farm bill. Additionally,...