Project Number: WVA00411
CRIS Number: 0183194
Implications of The New Agriculture for West Virginia
Investigators: D'Souza, G. E., Collins, A. C., Fletcher, J. J., Phipps, T. T., Semmens, K. J., Smith, D. K.
Performing Department: Resource Management -- 8485
Start Date: 10/01/1999
Termination Date: 09/30/2004
Reporting period: 01/01/2001 to 12/31/2001
Progress Report:
Niche markets represent one of the biggest growth opportunities for WV agriculture. Specific commodities that represent niche opportunities and that have been investigated as part of this project include cold-water aquaculture, organic farming, and grass-fed beef. With respect to aquaculture, enterprise (or cost and return) budgets for additional species have been completed to complement the trout budgets already developed. These include bait fish and hybrid striped bass, both of which show promise under WV conditions. An analysis of using minewater to grow fish is underway; treated minewater represents a potentially large resource, which, if successfully tapped, can contribute to the further growth and development of a sustainable aquaculture industry. One way to increase profitability of organic farming is through community-supported agriculture, a growth area both in WV and nationwide. Analyses underway show that the transition to organic farming is profitable under the conditions investigated; however, data from at least two more growing seasons is needed to verify this result. Knowledge of prices that beef cattle farmers receive for their products over time can help identify seasonal and locational price patterns, and contribute to a better understanding of the nature and causes of market risk faced by these farmers. This knowledge, in turn, can contribute to improved decision-making as it pertains to both, more efficient resource allocation, and improved risk management. The analysis of a data-base of historical beef cattle auction prices at various locations throughout WV over a five-year period that was initiated last year is continuing. At the present time, alternative computer programs, including EXCEL and @RISK, are being evaluated to determine their suitability for this analysis.
Publications:
Fincham, R. 2000. A Break-Even Analysis of Trout Processing in West Virginia: A Case Study Approach. MS Thesis, West Virginia University.
San, N., D. Miller, G. D'Souza, D. Smith, and K. Semmens. 2001. West Virginia Trout Enterprise Budgets. Publication #AQ01-1. WVU Extension Service, Morgantown, WV.
Impact:
Impacts from economic analyses tend to be abstract, and thus are difficult to measure. However, each of the analyses described above has brought together several interdisciplinary teams, in the process enhancing what sociologists refer to as "social capital." An interdisciplinary, systems, approach is clearly more desirable for the topics being investigated, and can better leverage results from the individual disciplines. This, in turn, contributes to a better understanding of the underlying economic, environmental, and societal dimensions of the various commodities or commodity groups, and can subsequently lead to both improved producer decision making and policy formulation.