A spatial equilibrium model based on a non-linear mathematical programming algorithm was developed to determine the optimal number, location, and size of cellulose ethanol plants for North Dakota. The objective function of the model is to minimize processing cost of biomass for ethanol and the...

Measuring and evaluating the efficient use of resources of Bank branches plays a decisive role in a Bank’s strategic planning. Usually, efficiency is measured by using accounting ratios, such as labor productivity, capital productivity, return on assets etc. When these ratios are properly...

The effects of phosphorus (P)-based nutrient management plans on economic and environmental risks of dairy and dairy-poultry farms in Virginia were evaluated. Phosphorus-based nutrient management plans can greatly reduce P runoff risk but also reduce farmers' returns. P-based plans cause greater...

Cotton ginning represents an agribusiness that is heavily dependent on production agriculture. Recent changes in farm legislation and other government policies may have a long run impact on the variability of cotton production. This paper examines the potential impacts of increased production...

The value of an innovative seed technology is estimated in a discrete stochastic programming framework for a representative farm in the northern Corn Belt. Temperature-activated polymer-coated seed has the potential to increase net returns by increasing yields due to early planting and use of...

All agricultural sector models must deal with aggregation and calibration somehow. The aggregation problem involves treating a group of producers as if they all responded in the same way as a single representative unit. The calibration problem concerns making a model reproduce as closely as...

An analytical framework is proposed for analysis of environmental good production by farmers in the case of price uncertainty. Environmental good production contracted by means of agri-environmental agreements is treated as a risk less option in the farmer's production activities portfolio....

A comparison of decision rules has been made for case studies of corn production using subsurface drip irrigation under three agricultural management practices (no irrigation, uniform irrigation, and variable rate irrigation). The uniform irrigation strategy appeared to perform the best than the...

A mathematical programming model based on a countrywide sample of farms is used to assess the impacts of the new C.A.P on the supply of the cotton sector in Greece. Results show a decrease in cotton cultivated area along with the introduction of a new production system called "semi-abandonment...

A mathematical programming model is developed and associated to a spatial pattern index (Ripley L function) to analyse the optimal reserve design and implementation for the Little Bustard conservation in Plaine de Niort. The model structure corresponds to three spatial levels, fields, farm and...