Agribusiness Projects
Ken Duft | Ray Folwell | Tom Schotzko
Other Agribusiness Research Faculty
Ken Duft, Emeritus
- "Capacity Utilization Issues for Washington State Cooperatives." Excess grain storage capacity generated as a result of the loss of CCC storage subsidies will be quantified and computed as a percent of total cooperative "through-put". Alternative means for storage utilization will be explored, including the net addition of such services as seed cleaning, seed certification, and the acceptance of non-traditional grains for storage/merchandising. Operating costs per bushel will be computed under differing levels of storage utilization and overhead cost allocations will be assigned by function and/or service provided.
- "Financing
Cooperatives Through Patron Demand Deposit Accounts; Future Prospects
and Pitfalls." The objectives of this research effort was
to describe, quantify and assess the financial ramifications of
alternative sources of investment capital. In particular,
the growing financial interdependencies between local and regional
supply cooperatives were observed and measured relative to prevailing
financial measures of performance. Locally-generated equity,
relative to that afforded by investments in other cooperatives
was assessed for the farm supply sector. The size of PDDA
relative to externally-assessed operating capital was quantitatively
measured. Finally, those cooperative characteristics and financial
parameters likely to influence the use of PDDA was reviewed and
the strengths/weaknesses of the resultant outcomes was assessed.
"Options in
Financing Agribusiness Cooperatives: Research Findings and Conclusions"
is available online in pdf format.
- The
Changing Dynamics of Grain Cooperatives in Eastern Washington
- "Creation
of the Northwest Center for Cooperative Development."
To create a regional entity staffed in support of the creation
of cooperative enterprise throughout the Pacific Northwest.
The Center is to represent the combined efforts of three previously
separate cooperative associations, with a Board of Directors representing
each, and with funding destined to provide technical assistance
to agricultural and non-agricultural groups wishing to activate
a cooperative entity.
- "Straw-to-Energy": A Washington State University study has found that crop residue produced by Eastern Washington wheat, barley, and grass seed growers could fuel the generation of about 400-425 megawatts of electricity annually; more than that produced by any one of our current Snake River dams. While energy production from straw is more expensive than hydro and nuclear, blend pricing, environmental benefits, and the volatile electricity market make it attractive. For the complete paper see: "The Prospects for an Electrical Generation & Transmission Cooperative Fueled by Straw Produced in Eastern Washington" page or the entire document.
Ray Folwell, Emeritus
-
The competitive position of the U.S. and Washington asparagus industries in relation to harvesting costs. The current focus is to analyze the existing technology for mechanical harvesting of whole spears and to develop an econometric model which includes the bargaining aspects of the price discovery. Alternatives to Manual Sorting Using Selected Electronic Graders in Asparagus Fresh Packing Sheds: a Cost-Benefit Analysis: EB 1958, published June 2003. Selective Harvest Trials, Update report, October 2004. Asparagus Harvester Evaluation - El Centro Test, March 2005 (prepared by Carter Clary and Trent Ball).
-
Market organization, production, uses and trade flows of alfalfa seed. The major focus is to establish a major statistical data bank and estimate transshipment volumes through various counties and gain a better understanding of alfalfa seed marketing.
-
Economics of potential alternatives for methyl bromide in postharvest commodity/quarantine treatments. The use of methyl bromide will be lost in a couple of years due to EPA rules and acceptable alternatives must be identified if the U.S. walnut, almond, apple and cherry industries are to maintain their market shares overseas.
-
Domestic and international marketing strategies for U.S. beef. A demand analysis of the monthly demand for beef and pork is being conducted along with an analysis of marketing margins on a monthly basis to determine the degree of competitiveness.
-
Viticultural, enological, and economic aspects of wine grape production in Washington. The major focus of this project is analyzing the production and marketing risk in producing various varieties of vinifera grapes in Washington. Two new 2004 reviewed bulletins are available for download: XB0997E, Bulk Winery Investment and Operating Costs, and XB1015E, Marketing Washington Wines at the Wholesale Level. Published June 2003: Wine Grape Establishment and Production Costs in Washington, 2003, Ext.Bul.1955, and Production and Marketing Risks Associated with Wine in Washington, Dec. 2003. Small Winery Investment and Operating Costs, Ext. Bus. 1996, August 2005.
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Tom Schotzko, Emeritus, is working on research to project future production for apples.
- An article, "Projecting Crop Size" is available for your perusual. Linked to this article is an Excel workbook that contains a sheet for each variety and for the total estimates of apple production and acreage. The totals sheet also has graphs for each variety and for the total. Each graph contains a curve for the estimate and upper and lower bounds that are some adjustable percentage to reflect the variability that occurs in the crop from year to year.
- "Per Acre Receipts for Red Delicious and Gala: The Effects of Grade, Size, Cullage and Yield" (Tables 1 and 2 contain per acre estimates of grower receipts at different yields, cullage rates, peak sizes and grades. Each size distribution is based on an actual grower packout records. The article discusses these tables and their significance to the apple grower). "Use Packouts to Evaluate Orchard Practices," an article reproduced from the Good Fruit Grower (Feb. 2004).
- Tom also does research on the cost of production and marketing potatoes. The report, Potatoes for the Fresh Market: The Costs of Growing and Packing, is available in its entirety in pdf format. This report provides information and data on the costs of growing, packing, and storing of potatoes produced by Washington growers for the fresh market. It is based on actual expenditures by growers and packers as reported to the authors.
- Measuring the Effects of Generic Price and Non-Price Promotional Activities: the Case of Washington Apples, a professional paper that describes part of the work that evaluated Washington Apple Commission promotional activities.
- A Brief Look at the Washington Apple Industry: Past and Present, SES 04-05, a professional paper written by R. Thomas Schotzko and David Granatstein, Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center Wenatchee, Washington.
- Measuring the Apple Industry from the 2002 Census of Agriculture. An update of an apple study for the Apple Industry written in an article for the Good Fruit Grower in 2003.
Other Agribusiness Research Faculty
- Ken Casavant: Transportation economics, SAFTA, Public policy and marketing. Ken Casavant's research is a six-year study under EWITS. The objectives of EWITS are to facilitate existing regional and state-wide transportation planning efforts, forecast future freight and passenger transportation service needs for Eastern Washington, identify gaps in Eastern Washington's current transportation infrastructure, and pinpoint transportation system improvement options critical to economic competitiveness and mobility within Eastern Washington.
- Dave Holland: Regional economics and agricultural development, see Organic Apple Production in WA State: an Input-Output Analysis.
- Holly Wang : Production economics, Risk Analysis Management contingent Markets and Insurance, Price Analysis, Spacial Statistics and Environmental Policy Impact on Production
- Hayley Chouinard: Environmental and Resource Economics, Applied Microeconomics, Industrial Organization, Auction and Game Theory
- Eric Jessup: Transportation Modeling and Economics
- Jill McCluskey: Reputation of Washington Apples, Consumer Response to Sustainable Agricultural Products, Long-term Effects of Environmental Contamination on Real Estate Values
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