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OLD SERA035: Delta Region Farm Management and Agricultural Policy Working Group

Annual/Termination Reports (SAES-422): [07/25/2007] [07/08/2008] [07/08/2009] [07/27/2010]

Date of Annual Report: 07/25/2007

Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 05/23/07 to 05/25/07
  • Period the Report Covers: 07/2006 to 06/2007

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    The 2007 annual meeting was held at the Monsanto Farm and Wildlife Management Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Mike Salassi (Louisiana State University) and Steve Martin (Mississippi State University) serve as SERA group chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Kelly Bryant (University of Arkansas) and Rob Hogan (University of Arkansas) served as program chairmen for the 2007 annual meeting. Mike Salassi opened the meeting with an update on the formation of the SERA035 group. Kurt Guidry (Louisiana State University) gave a report concerning an ongoing three-state study on producer/landlord risk management. Mike Salassi gave a presentation on a recently completed USDA study on the economics of ethanol production from sugar feedstocks compared to grain feedstocks. Larry Falconer (Texas A&M University) discussed current research on alternative crops for biodiesel production in Texas. Terry Griffin (University of Arkansas) reported ongoing research and extension activities in Arkansas related to precision agriculture. A general discussion on budget generator issues was lead by Stan Spurlock (Mississippi State University). Ted Glaub, a professional farm manager, gave a presentation on farm management activities on farms in Arkansas. In the afternoon, the group toured the Patriot Biofuels facility in Stuttgart, Arkansas. The 2008 annual meeting is planned for Louisiana with Ken Paxton and Mike Salassi of Louisiana State University serving as program chairmen.

    Accomplishments:
    Major accomplishments from this annual meeting included discussion and agreement on the future direction of farm management research and extension activities related to biofuel production, irrigation, precision agriculture and commodity production cost estimation. Group members were updated on the current state of biofuel production, potential developments in the coming years, and what role members of the group could have in research and extension in the biofuel area. A primary area of research and extension activities will be the economic evaluation of the production of biofuel feedstocks. Commodity production cost estimation is a primary role of the group and this information serves as the basis for much farm management and production economics research and extension. Discussion and direction related to production cost estimation in the areas of input data collection and dissemination to users, commodity budget format, and publication were accomplished.

    Impact Statements:
    1. Annual estimates of commodity production costs published by the group provides useful planning information for growers and lenders.
    2. Current cost estimates of production tools such as irrigation and precision agriculture technology provides useful information to growers in planning their farming operations.
    3. Results from economic analysis of potential biofuel feedstocks will provide direction as to which specific feedstocks have potential for production in alternative regions.
    Last Modified: 30-Jul-2007

    Date of Annual Report: 07/08/2008

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 05/28/08 to 05/30/08
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2007 to 09/2008

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    Presentations and discussion: (1) Cotton Transportation/Logistics Research  John Robinson (2) Valuing Transgenic Cotton Technologies Using a Risk/Return Framework - Kelly Bryant (3) Days Suitable for Fieldwork in the Delta States and Whole-farm Profitability Impacts of Machinery Efficiency  Terry Griffin (4) Tools to Provide Producers Economic Information Related to Production and Price Risk in Cotton Variety Selection  Larry Falconer (5) Are Landowners Willing to Allow Public Access to Private Land? Results of a Multi-State Survey of Delta Landowners  Michael Dunn (6) Evaluating the Switch from Cotton to Corn: Impacts on the Louisiana Economy  J. Matthew Fannin, Kenneth W. Paxton, John Beracca and Huizhen Niu (7) Estimated Costs of Producing High Fiber Varieties of Sugarcane for Ethanol Production  Michael Salassi, Tyler Mark and Michael Deliberto (8) Regional Pilot Project on Commodity Budget Development and Support  David Laughlin and Michael Salassi

    Accomplishments:
    A primary function of the Delta Region Farm Management and Agricultural Policy Working Group (SERA-35) is the development and maintenance of computer software and databases required to develop and publish a wide variety of commodity cost and returns budgets for states in the southeast region. Commodity budget computer software, users guide, input databases and commodity production cost budgets are updated on an annual basis.

    Relevant, applied farm management research and extension activities addressing current topics are conducted on an individual state basis as well as multistate projects. Current research activities within the group include evaluation of cotton transport logistics, risk/return tradeoffs for alternative transgenic cotton technologies, impact of days suitable for fieldwork on whole-farm profitability, development of producer decision tools to evaluate production and price risk in cotton variety selection, landowner attitudes toward public access for recreational use of private land, state-level economic impacts of switching from cotton to corn production and estimation of production costs of high-fiber sugarcane as an ethanol feedstock. Discussion of a regional pilot project supporting the current and future development of commodity budget software and databases identified potential avenues of future activity funding.

    Impact Statements:
    1. Output from research and extension activities of the Delta Region Farm Management and Agricultural Policy Working Group (SERA-35) provides economic information and analysis of agricultural production and the economic factors and farm program policies which have a direct impact on it to agricultural producers, commodity organizations, lenders, input suppliers and the industry as a whole.
    2. Annual commodity cost and returns budgets developed by participants in each state provide timely, local forecasts of production costs for major commodities in the coming year.
    3. Analysis of farm policy provisions are evaluated to determine their impact on the economics of production agriculture in the region and to aid agricultural producers in making sound farm program provision decisions.
    4. Continuing and ongoing research and extension programs in farm management and production economics, identify relevant research and extension needs and work to disseminate those research results to appropriate producer and industry clientele.
    Last Modified: 09-Jul-2008

    Date of Annual Report: 07/08/2009

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 05/27/09 to 05/29/09
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2008 to 09/2009

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    Presentations and discussion:

    (1) Community Level Economic Impacts and Outlook for Cotton Ginning from Structural Change in the Cotton Industry  Matt Fannin and Ken Paxton

    (2) Using Portfolio Theory to Select Rice Varieties in the Arkansas Delta to Improve Producer Profitability  Lanier Nalley

    (3) Evaluation of Carbon Emissions Policy on Crop Producers in Arkansas  Lanier Nalley

    (4) Farm Management Trends Based on USDA-ARMS Data  Terry Griffin and Brad Watkins

    (5) A Comparison of Pricing Strategies for Cellulosic Ethanol Processors  Tyler Mark and Mike Salassi

    (6) Revising the Mississippi State Budget Generator: A First Look  Gregg Ibendahl

    Accomplishments:
    A primary function of the Delta Region Farm Management and Agricultural Policy Working Group (SERA-35) is the development and maintenance of computer software and databases required to develop and publish a wide variety of commodity cost and returns budgets for states in the southeast region. Commodity budget computer software, users guide, input databases and commodity production cost budgets are updated on an annual basis.

    Relevant, applied farm management research and extension activities addressing current topics are conducted on an individual state basis as well as multistate projects. Current research activities within the group include regional economic impacts of the cotton ginning industry, economic evaluation of rice variety selection, carbon emissions from agricultural production, farm management trends in the U.S., pricing of cellulosic ethanol feedstock crops, as well as current revisions/improvements in the commodity budget generator program. Discussion began concerning the initiation of a research project to evaluate carbon footprint estimation for regional crop production.

    Impact Statements:
    1. Output from research and extension activities of the Delta Region Farm Management and Agricultural Policy Working Group (SERA-35) provides economic information and analysis of agricultural production and the economic factors and farm program policies which have a direct impact on it to agricultural producers, commodity organizations, lenders, input suppliers and the industry as a whole.
    2. Annual commodity cost and returns budgets developed by participants in each state provide timely, local forecasts of production costs for major commodities in the coming year.
    3. Analysis of farm policy provisions are evaluated to determine their impact on the economics of production agriculture in the region and to aid agricultural producers in making sound farm program provision decisions.
    4. Continuing and ongoing research and extension programs in farm management and production economics, identify relevant research and extension needs and work to disseminate those research results to appropriate producer and industry clientele.
    Last Modified: 13-Jul-2009

    Date of Annual Report: 07/27/2010

    Report Information:
  • Annual Meeting Dates: 05/26/10 to 05/28/10
  • Period the Report Covers: 10/2009 to 09/2010

    • Participants:
    Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting:
    The 2010 Annual Meeting of SERA-35 met at South Toledo Bend State Park in Anacoco, Louisiana - May 26-28, 2010

    The general purpose of the annual meeting is to provide opportunities for formal presentations of current research and extension activities, discussion of issues related to the commodity costs and returns budget generator program used by the various states to develop annual production cost estimates, and to provide opportunities for informal discussion on topics of interest to the group.

    Formal presentations at the 2010 meeting are listed below:

    (1.) Estimating Rice and Soybean Yield Potential by Planting Date for Whole Farm Management: Utilizing Observed Data from the Arkansas Research Verification Program (Terry Griffin, Brad Watkins, Bob Stark, Stewart Runsick, Ralph Mazzanti, Chris Grimes, Steve Kelley, Charles E. Wilson, II, and Jeremy Ross)

    (2.) Texas Cotton Harvester Investment Decision Aid (Larry Falconer and Jeanne Reeves)

    (3.) Update on Cotton Transportation/Flow Modeling (John Robinson)

    (4.) Impact of Herbicide Resistance on Conservation Tillage: A Whole-Farm Perspective (Kelly Bryant and Terry Griffin)

    (5.) Examining the Costs and Returns of Hybrid Rice Production in Southwestern Louisiana (Michael Deliberto and Michael Salassi)

    Next year's meeting will be held in Arkansas in late May, but the location has not been determined at this time.

    Accomplishments:
    Accomplishments for the current year include development and publication of projected commodity costs and returns budgets for major crops produced in the region. These reports are published by each state for the major crop enterprises in their region. A listing of these costs and returns reports for the 2010 crop year are listed in the publications section.

    Work also continued in 2010 on the development of a new version of the commodity budget generator. This work is being lead by the Agricultural Economics Department at Mississippi State University, with advice and input from the other states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas). The primary effort here is to move the program to a more up to date computer platform. This work will continue into 2011. Preliminary versions of this program are currently being evaluated by the respective states in SERA-35.

    Impact Statements:
    1. The development and publication of current and reliable production cost estimates for major crop and livestock enterprises in the region serve a variety of purposes. They are used by producers in making farm planning decisions for the coming year. They are used by agricultural financial institutions in evaluating crops loans for producers. They form the foundation data based in a wide variety of agricultural production economics and farm management research and extension. The primary mission of this group is to provide that important information on an annual basis.
    Last Modified: 28-Jul-2010
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