Since the 2007–08 food crisis, many thoughtful analyses have addressed the causes and impacts of high and volatile international food prices and proposed solutions to the crisis. These studies have covered global as well as local food price dynamics and policy reactions. The food price problem...

This paper asks whether population growth is conducive to the sustainability of cooperation. A simple model is developed in which farmers who live around a circular lake engage in trade with their adjacent neighbors. The payoffs from this activity are governed by a prisoner’s dilemma “rule...

By the end of its seven-year term in 2007-08, the Australian Sheep Industry CRC (Sheep CRC) will have received total funds of about $90 million, that comprises Commonwealth and industry funding of $30 million, and in-kind contributions valued at $60 million. This level of public and private...

This report documents the specification of an equilibrium displacement model (EDM) of the Australian sheep and wool industries. The model is capable of estimating and comparing the potential benefits from R&D and generic promotion investments, and other policy changes, in the different sectors...

The Australian cattle and beef industry and the associated RD&E community recently developed a successful proposal for the CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies. The expected benefits from the proposed scientific programs of the renewed CRC were estimated using the DREAM economic modelling...

Ricecheck, a best management practices extension program for rice production in Australia, was developed by the NSW Department of Primary Industries advisory staff, Finley, in 1986. The program is based on eight best management practice recommendations called ‘Key Checks’ that are considered...

This report presents a detailed description of the software program StockPlan® including a description of the calculations used within the program. StockPlan® has been developed as a decision aid for farmers and their advisors during drought and during the drought recovery stage. StockPlan®...

A ‘broad brush’ picture of farming in the pastoral zone of NSW is presented in this report. The pastoral zone of NSW is characterised by wide variations in climatic conditions, soil type and vegetation species. Hence representative faming system analysis was conducted for three sub-regions -...

Different patterns of nutrition during pregnancy and lactation can influence cow productivity and the performance of their offspring. An experiment was conducted on the North Coast of NSW whereby “low” and “high” pasture nutritional systems were imposed on a herd of Hereford cows during...

Research into IPM technologies has been conducted by NSW DPI for over 20 years. Evaluating the returns from investment in specific research and development projects is an important component of the NSW DPI science and research program. An economic evaluation has been conducted of IPM in managing...