Farmer productivity by age was estimated, allowing for differences because of efficiency and returns to scale. Using Census of Agriculture data, estimates vary by state, but returns to scale average 1.07. Efficiency increases average 4.5 percent every ten years of age, to the age interval 35 to...

A spatial optimization model was developed to analyze the impacts of structural changes in China’s consumption of wheat, corn, rice, and soybeans on its agricultural sector and world agricultural trade. The model included 16 exporting and importing countries and regions. China was divided into...

The report discusses commercial banks' role in supporting economic development in rural America. It details demographic and economic trends in rural America. It discusses a number of economic development programs available to commercial bankers and to private sector/public sector partnerships....

The Dixit entry/exit real option model was applied to the entry/exit decisions of New York dairy farmers. For the cost structure of a 500-cow farm the entry milk price is $17.52 per hundredweight (cwt.) and the exit milk price is $10.84. For the 50-cow farm cost structure the entry price is...

Net farm income for most representative farms in 2008 will be higher than in 1999. However, low profit farms, which consist of 25% of the farms in the study, may have a negative net farm income throughout the forecasting period and may not have financial resiliency to survive. This is true under...

Net farm income for all representative farms will be lower in 2003 than in 1995-96, but net farm income will be level throughout the 1997-2005 period. Cropland prices are projected to fall in all regions of North Dakota after peaking in 1996-97. Cash rental rates are projected to follow cropland...

Net farm income for most representative farms in 2011 will be lower than in 2002. Low profit farms, which consist of 25% of the farms in the study, may not have financial resiliency to survive. The new farm bill will provide higher net farm income than a continuation of the FAIR Act. Cropland...