Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Farming has a unique role to play in shaping the landscape and enhancing our environment. In recent years, the industry has declined and no longer makes a significant contribution to the national economy. The impact of animal diseases such as BSE and Foot and Mouth has reduced consumer confidence in the quality of food produced. The UK Government, through the introduction of funding schemes, is aiding the recovery of the industry by encouraging farmers to diversify their farming enterprise. One option is the conversion from intensive to organic farming practices, a decision that involves a high level of risk and uncertainty. This research proposes a role for GIS as a decision support tool for a farm manager exploring the options for organic conversion. Where data is captured and held in multiple applications, the GIS-based Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) must integrate data and models. The use of the GIS must be intuitive, allowing the farm manager to explore different scenarios for land allocation effectively. The interface must allow the amendment of input parameters and present the results from each scenario in a clear, understandable format. This functionality raises important data handling issues that are investigated through the development of a prototype GIS. The identification and assessment of relevant datasets and the seamless integration of data are fundamental to the design of the GIS. Metadata, adhering to international guidelines, are identified as the chief means for discovering, exploring and acquiring spatial datasets from diverse sources. An assessment of the quality and accuracy of the data is essential if they are to be the basis for decision support. Interoperability issues are discussed and suggestions are proposed for the successful integration of data and models for the SDSS through the GIS interface. By providing a visual medium in which alternative strategies can be evaluated, the GIS will enhance the quality of the final decision made by the farm manager.

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Call number: LD2668 .T4 1938 R61

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Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Christine Wilson / For five generations, Lauver Family Farms has been founded upon faith, family, and farming near Rockwell City, IA. It is these core principles and beliefs that drive everyday actions through conservation minded decisions, community involvement, and a passion for the land. Presently, the farm is operated by Grandfather Don Lauver, Father Kevin Lauver, and sons Andrew and Jacob Lauver. The Lauver Family Farm was originally purchased in 1942 by Joseph Gordon, who at his peak held 700 acres in his name. In 1945 Glen and Viola Lauver purchased what is now Lauver Family Farms, located on the Des Moines Lobe land region of Iowa. The Des Moines Lobe is a glacial lobe encompassing rich, heavy soils with high organic matter, requiring dredge ditches and tiling in many areas. Through a commitment to conservation, corn and soybean acres are rotated annually. With regard to corn cultivation and planting practices, soybean stubble is field cultivated once, followed by planting. On soybean ground, the corn stalks are disk ripped, and then field cultivated twice before planting soybeans. The goal is to minimize trips through the field by exhibiting these conservation tillage practices. If land has much slope or erosion potential, then it is only disked and then planted. Currently, the farm is comprised of 400 acres of row crops and 50 acres of wetland, 30 acres on the Home Farm and 20 acres on the Obye Farm, enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program in 2002. Kevin and Don Lauver, the primary decision makers, requested an analysis of the environmental and economic impact of the Conservation Reserve Program on the farm. By taking acres out of production for at least 10 to 15 years that perennially drown due to often wet soil conditions, they will be able to utilize the Conservation Reserve Program as a risk management tool. Now, Lauver Family Farms is faced with a decision to determine if a 10 or 15 year enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program has the greatest economic and environmental return, since the current enrollment expires in 2016. Procedures and methods were established to meet the purpose of this thesis to determine which option was the most profitable long-term for the operation. The purpose includes evaluating the sources of data relevant to Lauver Family Farms decision by utilizing decision tools to make a collective decision on the future of the farmland and opportunity costs analyzed. Lauver Family Farms’ objective for this project was to determine how the Conservation Reserve Program provides a return on the investment of the decision to re-enroll, or even enroll more acres in the program. This analysis will be used each time an enrollment decision must be made, and will be of significant importance as sons Andrew and Jacob Lauver make management decisions in the years to come.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Jeff Williams / This study examines the net returns from grain and biomass production from seven annual crop rotations using six different management scenarios. This study also examines the profitability of producing biomass from three perennial crops using four management scenarios. Soybeans were rotated with grain sorghum, dual purpose sorghum, photoperiod sensitive sorghum, brown mid-rib (BMR) sorghum, and corn. Continuously cropped corn was also included. Perennial grasses including switchgrass and big bluestem were compared to a traditional crop, alfalfa. Yields and input data for the crops was from an experimental field study conducted at Kansas State University, Manhattan KS. Enterprise budgets were constructed for rotations of five sorghum varieties with soybeans, corn and soybeans, and continuous corn. Enterprise budgets were also constructed for three perennial crops; consisting of switchgrass, big bluestem grass, and alfalfa. Perennial crop costs and returns are estimated over an assumed 10 year production horizon. Costs and net returns for each of these budgets were compared to determine which crop rotation was the most economically feasible. Yield and input rates, excluding soybean yield and inputs, used were collected from an agronomic field experiment at Manhattan located in Riley County, Kansas (Propheter, 2009; Roozeboom et al., 2011). Costs of inputs were from USDA Agricultural Prices, Kansas State University farm management guides, and Sharpe Brothers Seed Company. Harvest costs are from Kansas State University farm management guides and a Northeastern Colorado and Northwestern Kansas producer survey. The corn- soybean rotation had the highest net returns per acre across all annual crop scenarios. The corn-soybean rotation did not have the highest net returns per acre when an alternative price was used for the photoperiod sensitive sorghum-soybean rotation. The dual purpose sorghum-soybean rotation had the second highest net returns per acre across all annual crop scenarios. The corn-soybean and dual purpose sorghum-soybean rotations had high grain net returns, and low to average biomass production costs. Alfalfa had the highest amortized net returns of the perennial crops, and had positive establishment year net returns. Alfalfa had higher amortized net returns and establishment year net returns than switchgrass and big bluestem.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1957 G74 / Master of Science