The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that irrigation in Arkansas’ Delta is unsustainable. This study examines how irrigation restrictions would affect county net returns to cropproduction. It also considers the effect of planting less water-intensive bioenergycrops—switchgrass and...

The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that irrigation in Arkansas’ Delta is unsustainable. This study examines how irrigation restrictions would affect county net returns to crop production. It also considers the effect of planting less water-intensive bioenergy...

Exchange rates have long been thought to have an important impact on the export and importof goods and services, and, thus, exchange rates are expected to influence the price of thoseproducts that are traded. At the same time, energy impacts commodity production in somevery important ways. The...

The impacts of biofuel-based commodity price shocks on wheat and maize producers and consumers in Mexico are quantified with a two-region welfare economics model of the world wheat and maize markets. This model captures the international flow of wheat and maize between Mexico and the rest of the...

This study applies portfolio theory to rice varietal selection decisions to find profit maximizing and risk minimizing outcomes. Results based on data from six counties in the Arkansas Delta for the period 1999–2006 suggest that sowing a portfolio of rice varieties could have increased...

Exchange rates have long been thought to have an important impact on the export and import of goods and services, and, thus, exchange rates are expected to influence the price of those products that are traded. At the same time, energy impacts commodity production in some very important ways....

This paper quantifies advances of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (KAES) wheat breeding program for two time periods: (1) 1911 to 2006 and (2) 1977 to 2006. Using multiple regression, increases in yields of wheat varieties grown in Kansas are quantified, holding growing conditions and...

U.S. agriculture has seen a decrease in of producers under the age of 35 entering agriculture for the past thirty years. This paper will explore the design and possible implementation of an innovative loan program designed give qualifying new young and beginning producers concessionary interest...

The effectiveness of hedging volatile input prices for biodiesel producers is examined over one- to eight-week time horizons. Results reveal that hedging break-even soybean costs with soybean oil futures offers significant reductions in input price risk. The degree of risk reduction is dependent...

America’s agricultural producers continue to age. According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, the average age of farm operators increased from 55.3 in 2002 to 57.1 in 2007. During the same period, the Census shows a thirty percent decrease in the number of farmers under the age of 25. Young...