This report shows that the state's food and agricultural industry is still a significant component of the economy, although probably less so than in earlier years due mainly to agricultural commodity price declines. Agricultural output amounted to 8 percent of the state's total output in 1999,...

The tables in this publication contain estimates of farm machinery operation costs for 1999. The estimates use an economic engineering approach. The data represent a representative farming industry cost for specified machines and operations.

The utilization of short rotation woody crops (SRWC) to produce wood on marginal crop and pasture land could greatly enhance the production of wood for various uses in Minnesota with utilization for energy being of current interest. SRWC involves the more intensive application of inputs on more...

Swine production networks are becoming a significant part of the Minnesota swine industry, with at least 30 production networks in operation as of late 1995. There are probably at least 450 producers involved, representing at least nine percent of the state s sow inventory. Not counted in these...

The tables in this publication estimate farm machinery operations function costs for 1996. The estimates use an economic engineering approach. The data represents an average farming industry cost for specified machines and operations.

Minnesota can improve the utilization of manure and organic wastes via the production of biogas that can be used to produce heat and electricity. Denmark serves as a role model for Minnesota in the number of central anaerobic digesters that it supports. During anaerobic digestion methane is...

Production costs and breakeven prices were calculated for four energy crops plus corn stover. The energy crop breakeven prices were calculated under two different scenarios regarding land costs and the opportunity costs of not utilizing the land for some other competing land use. One scenario is...

North Central Farm Machinery Task Force is a group of extension economists who evaluated alternative methods for estimating farm machinery costs and made recommendations for the development of extension materials. This paper describes the procedures agreed upon, and explains the rationale for...