ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SYSTEMS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1003977
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2014
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2019
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
STILLWATER,OK 74078

Performing Department
Ag Economics

Non Technical Summary
Although it is difficult to conduct a fully comprehensive evaluation of any emerging agricultural production system, the state-of-the-practice analysis tools have demonstrated their utility in providing producers, researchers, and decision makers with beneficial information on the impacts of new agricultural technology. Future research will provide even more the basis for initiating comprehensive analysis, particularly as more seamless integration between economic and environmental analysis is achieved (Plucknett et al.; Hildebrand; McConnell and Dillon).

Animal Health Component

85%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

15%

Applied

85%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
601	6110	3010	100%

Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management;

Subject Of Investigation
6110 - Economy of the United States and sectors thereof;

Field Of Science
3010 - Economics;

Keywords

analysis tools

production agriculture

productivity growth

remote sensing

economic impacts

Goals / Objectives
The overall purpose of this research is to identify those new agricultural technologies and techniques that would best enhance the productivity and profitability of Oklahoma production agriculture while maintaining a proper balance with environmental concerns and the sustainability of the natural resource base. Given the complexities involved in the adoption and extension processes, this research will conduct comprehensive economic evaluations of new technological developments within the Oklahoma agricultural sector.Specific objectives of this research are:1. Conduct economic evaluations of new agricultural technologies, techniques, and cropping systems. The evaluations will include the impact of each agricultural development on expected net returns, economic risk (variability of net returns), compatibility with existing production systems, resource endowments, and institutional constraints. This project will focus on the development of large scale information systems, particularly UAV platforms.2. Conduct environmental assessments of new agricultural technologies, techniques, and cropping systems. The assessments will include the impacts of each development on reducing runoff and nutrient loading into watersheds, reducing soil erosion, increasing the efficiency of irrigated water use, and sustaining soil nutrient levels over the long-run. The assessments will be conducted under the appropriate type of environmental compliance, voluntary or otherwise, which often place constraints and limits on producer's choices. Analysis would also include weighing the tradeoffs between the economic and environmental impacts, to assess the costs of mitigating environmental damage. The project intends to focus on the development of P removal structures developed at Oklahoma State by Dr. Chad Penn.3. Determine the corresponding impacts that new agricultural developments would have on consumer welfare. Analysis will be conducted to predict how new agricultural developments would affect agricultural output, production costs, and prices.

Project Methods
Objective 1Collect and Organize experimental dataAnalyze experimental dataEstimate economic returns and costsPredict economic impactsObjective 2Generate and organize dataIdentify best management practicesDevelop response functionsIntegrate with economic modelGenerate environmental and economic impactsObjective 3Collect and organize ASM dataModel calibrationGenerate model results

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience targeted for this project is agricultural producers in Oklahoma and neighboring states in the southern plains. The research project targets industrial audiences including stakeholders in the wheat, beef, poultry, and swine production sectors of the southern plains. The research is also intended to be extended to the agricultural research community through peer-reviewed journals, extension bulletins and fact sheets, videos, and trade publications. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An undergraduate studenthas been working on the SCA AWPM project since January 2018. He has begun the development of a GAMS economic model for the SCA AWPM project and has been assisting in gathering data for the SUN Grant Biofuels project. He plans to start his Master's degree in January of 2019. APost Dochas accepted a position at Fresno State University as a result of his graduate work (MS and Ph.D.) work on improved irrigation practices in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Through journal articles and a poster presented at the AAEA 2017 Annual Conference in Chicago. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been primarily disseminated through journal articles and presentations at professional meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research from this project over the past five years analyzed several production enterprises for Oklahoma farms and ranches. In the Oklahoma Panhandle, this research project investigated the potential benefits from replacing center pivot (CP) irrigation systems with newer designed subsurface drip irrigation that are substantially more water-efficient (>50%). Results found that over the near term, corn would no longer be the most profitable crop due to the declining water table and its greater demand for water versus grain sorghum. An important threshold triggering the shift away from corn occurs when irrigation capacity falls below 39.1 L min-1 ha-1 for CP irrigation. MIP results suggest that investing in SDI over CP for a 60-year planning horizon will increase the net present value of a typical farm (259 ha) by $223,257. This study hence demonstrates that investing in SDI increases irrigation productivity and generates greater net benefits than investing in CP when both land and water become limiting factors. Under cooperative agreements among producers, study results found groundwater use as significantly reduced. Under even a modest level of cooperation, producers in a CID with aquifer coefficients of K = 7.62 m/day and K = 15.24 m/day would retain 97.09% and 98.65% of total groundwater. Impacts were also identified in several other projects. Alternative crops, such as switchgrass, can generate higher incomes for producers with the development of a biofuels industry. Results show that a typical biofuels plant, producing circa 69 million gallons of ethanol per year, would generate $35 million per year in new farm income. Economic planning models and business strategies were identified to improve the efficiency of biofuel supply chains, reducing final product biofuel costs by an expected 15%. The development of an area-wide sugar cane aphid pest management program has, and will continue to generate, substantial benefits for sorghum producers. Results from this research's economic analysis found that with the adoption of aphid resistant varieties, sorghum yields would increase by circa 20% compared to non-resistant varieties. Higher yields would generate an average impact of circa $75 million in producer benefits over the area-wide project region, and $23 million to Oklahoma (TX-OK-KS). Results from an efficiency study identified the critical need for wheat producers in the Western Great Plains to maintain efficiency. Large farms were scaled inefficient, indicating that farms have become overcapitalized. Of equal concern, farms of all sizes were found to be economically inefficient, indicating they need to better match input choices such as seed, fertilizer, and pesticides to farm prices. By increasing efficiency, a typical farm in the WGP could improve per acre returns by $44.31 per acre. In the Lake Altus region, combined efforts to rehabilitate existing irrigation facilities through improved chloride control and by expanding the irrigation network to new users would generate substantial benefits. The following describes how the three objectives were addressed as most/all of the modeling activities and research accomplishments simultaneously addressed all three objectives. Participated as a co-PI on an irrigation efficiency study in the Oklahoma Panhandle (OP) to maximize the long-term benefits from the Ogallala Aquifer. The following was accomplished: Constructed a simulation model of a representative farm (259 ha) in the OP. Developed a GIS-based hydrologic model that was linked to the farm simulation model to explicitly factor in the analysis of the effects of groundwater use on hydrologic conditions. Constructed a simulation model of crop production in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Constructed crop budgets for both center pivot (CP) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems. Developed a corollary model to study the benefits of establishing a cooperative irrigation district (CID) to encourage producers to a long-term profit-maximizing (LPM) strategy. Developed thematic maps using USGS CROPSCAPE data and optimization model results. Manuscript submitted to the journal Agricultural Systems. Received funding from Sun Grant to conduct an economic feasibility study of a biofuels plant in Oklahoma. The following was accomplished: Constructed a math programming model (using GAMS software) of a biofuels supply chain in selected locations (Calvin, Enid, etc). Developed an ArcMap (GIS) based database of potential switchgrass producers by processing the USGS CROPSCAPE dataset. The Oklahoma road network has been included in the biofuels supply chain model using a GIS dataset of major roads and highways (circa 34,000 records). Wrote a program in the C-programming language to find the shortest path from each switchgrass production unit to the biofuel plant using Dijkstra's algorithm. Received funding (USDA APHIS) for conducting an economic analysis of IPM strategies to protect sweet sorghum from sugarcane aphid infestations. Project not completed (Oct 2021 end date) but the following has already been accomplished: Literature review on the modeling of techniques to track and monitor the sugarcane aphid infestation in sweet sorghum fields across a multi-state region has been completed. A computer programming model (GAMS software) that determines the impact of introducing various sugarcane aphid control measures is nearly complete. NASS data on sorghum yield and area have been downloaded from their USDA website for the entire study area. A working version of the economic model has been developed was presented at an AWPM team teleconference meeting earlier this year (Spring 2019). Our research team has downloaded CropScape data for the study area. This provides a field-level mapping of sorghum fields. Ongoing research is establishing consistency between NASS and CropScape data. Determined the corresponding impacts that new agricultural developments would have on consumer welfare. In the Lake Altus region, a study was conducted to assess the economic impacts of combined efforts to rehabilitate existing irrigation facilities through improved chloride control. The following was accomplished: Studies included the development of a GAMS based Dynamic Programming (DP) model that simulated 50 years of cotton farming in the lake Altus region. The DP model included yield estimates from the EPIC crop simulation model, taking into explicit account the effect of chlorine buildup (as measured by electro conductivity). A DP model using flexible and alternative irrigation scheduling confirmed earlier findings that expanding Lake Altus irrigation capacity through the Army Corps of Engineers proposed chloride control project would be economically beneficial with a break-even price of as low as $0.65 per lb. Manuscripts published that identified irrigable areas and cost-benefit of alternative project designs in the Altus study region (Ghimire et al. 2016). Research conducted with graduate students in the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics produced the following modeling efforts, published journal articles, and conference papers. Manuscript published that identified adoption characteristics and corresponding benefits of hybrid maize varieties in Kenya. Developed a time series model to forecast the cotton price variability facing smallholder producers in West Africa. Journal article published (Gouzaye and Vitale). An econometric model developed to assess the relationship between poverty and economic performance indicators such as GDP. Journal article published (Pohan and Vitale). Time series modeling linking agricultural output and prices to economic growth using a stochastic frontier modeling approach. Manuscript in process of submission Impacts of agricultural investments on economic output (GDP) completed in Ph.D. dissertation work Manuscript in process of submission.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Vitale, P., Vitale, J., and F. Epplin. 2018. Factors Affecting Efficiency Measures of Western Great Plains Wheat Dominant Farms. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 24:1-35.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Gouzaye, A., Vitale, J., & Park, P. 2017. Reassessing cotton pricing policy in Burkina Faso: How important is price stabilization? African Journal of Agricultural Research 12(50): 3491-3507.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Vitale, J., Park P. and G. Vognan. 2017. The Socio-Economic Impacts of GM Cotton in Burkina Faso: Does Farm Structure Affect How Benefits Are Distributed? AgBioForum. 19(2):120-135.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Wang, Y., Vitale, J., Park, P., Adams, B., Agesa, B., & Korir, M. 2017. Socioeconomic determinants of hybrid maize adoption in Kenya. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 12(8), 617-631.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Pohan, M. and J.D. Vitale. 2015. Overcoming the Poverty Trap through Education: An Intergenerational Study On Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Applied Economics.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Tumusiime, E., Brorsen, B.W., and J.D. Vitale. 2014. Vertical Integration in West Africas Cotton Industry: Implications for Producers Income and Economic Efficiency. Agricultural Economics. 45:129-143.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Vitale, J., Vognan, G., and K. Traore. 2014. Breaking New Ground in agricultural biotechnology. International Innovation. 155:55-57.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Penn, C.J., Vitale, J., Fine, S.T., Godsey, C.B., and J. Payne. 2014. Sweet Sorghum as Biofuel Feedstock: Nutrient Source, Yield, Soil Quality, Economics, and Manure Transportation. Agronomy Journal. 106:17221734.
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Vitale, J. and Greenplate, J. Genetically Modified Cotton. 2014. Chapter 37 in the Handbook on Agriculture, Biotechnology and Development. Editors: Smyth, S., Castle, D., and Phillips, P. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, Camberley, UK.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Langa, V., Vitale, J., and P. Park Vitale. 2019. Economic Consequences of Different Institutional Structures for the Cotton Sector in West and Central Africa; Evidence from Burkina Faso. Journal of Agribusiness. 37(1):66-95.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: Sanou, E., Cardona, J., Vitale, J., Koulibaly, B., Gheysen G., and S. Speelman. Forthcoming. What kind of biotechnology do farmers prefer? A Discrete Choice Experiment Approach considering Cotton Cultivation in Burkina Faso. Forthcoming in Agronomy.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Vitale, J., Adam, B., and P. Vitale. Economics of wheat breeding strategies: focusing on Oklahoma Hard Red Winter Wheat. Under review in Agronomy.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Ramaswamy,K., Stoecker, A., Warren, J. Jones, R., Taghvaeian, S., and J. Vitale. Potential Replacing of Center Pivot Irrigation Systems with Subsurface Drip. Under review in Agricultural Systems.

Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience targeted for this project is agricultural producers in Oklahoma and neighboring states in the southern plains. The research project targets industrial audiences including stakeholders in the wheat, beef, poultry, and swine production sectors of the southern plains. The research is also intended to be extended to the agricultural research community through peer-reviewed journals, extension bulletins and fact sheets, videos, and trade publications. Changes/Problems:Research undertaken in this reporting period have proceeded without any major obstacles or impediments. In particular, the use of large-scale data from the Cropscape, and its application to assisting producers and befitting consumers in the southern Great Plains is consistent with the overarching goal of the Hatch Project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An undergraduate student, Ryan Loy, has been working on the SCA AWPM project since January 2018. Ryan has begun development of a GAMS economic model for the SCA AWPM project and has been assisting in gathering data for the SUN Grant Biofuels project. Ryan plans tostarthis Masters degree in January of 2019. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from the SCA AWPM project have been disseminated to the principal investigators at the January 2018 annual meeting in Dallas, TX. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Will present findings of the SCA AWPM results for the 2018 research year at the project's annual meeting in Dallas in January 2019. Will submit a conference paper on the preliminary findings of the biofuel modeling results (SUN GRANT project) for the 2019 AAEA conference.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Conduct economic evaluations of new agricultural technologies, techniques, and cropping systems. In the recent reporting period, GAMS programming models have been developed for both the SCA AWPM project and the Biofuels project. The biofuels model has developed a functioning model that quantifies the expected (ex-ante) production and economic benefits of constructing a biofuels plant in Hughes County, OK. Development of both models entailed downloading and organizing a large quantity of data on crop yields, production areas, prices, and transportation road networks. Over the last reporting period, substantial efforts were put forth to include satellite imaged data from the USGS CropScape data project. This enabled the GAMS economic models to characterize crop production at the field scale, placing this Hatch project analysis at the cutting edge of agricultural modeling. This enhanced level of detail has created the opportunities to (1) link the GAMS economic model with the entomology modeling undertaken by other researchers in the SCA AWPM project and (2) includes a more explicit treatment of shipping switchgrass and other biomass required to supply the biofuel plant as part of the Biofuels Sun Grant project. 3. Determine the corresponding impacts that new agricultural developments would have on consumer welfare. The GAMS biofuels model was enhanced to include assessments of how alternative biofuel technologies would be able to produce cheaper fuels. Corresponding scenarios have/will estimate the benefits (impacts) that they will have on consumer welfare through lower fuel prices. THE SCA AWPM economic model has been developed to estimate the impacts on increasing consumer welfare through improved sorghum productivity. This will assist producers in lowering animal feed costs and reduce fresh meat (poultry, beef, pork, etc.) prices at the retail level.

Publications

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience targeted for this project are agricultural producers in Oklahoma and neighboring states in the southern plains. The research project targets industrial audiences including stakeholders in the wheat, beef, poultry, and swine production sectors of the southernplains. The research is also intended to be extended to the agricultural research community through peer reviewed journals, extension bulletins and fact sheets, videos, and trade publications. Changes/Problems:There have been no unusual changes or problems over the past year. The goals of the Hatch Progress have become focused on new technologies, e.g. drones and more advanced communication between researchers and producers as well as analysis of "big data", and this has required a period of literature review, model development, and proposal writing. With two research projects now being funded, the focus will shift somewhat away from drone technology and into the development of methods to monitor the migration of pests such as the sugarcane aphid. This will include the use of large data that isspatially dispersed. Output (presentations, book chapters, and journal articles) from these activities are expected to be available in the next year or two. Research on the optimal location and economic feasibility ofbiofuels and other topics of interest to Oklahoma agriculture, e.g. irrigated water use, wheat variety selection, pest management, will also continue. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through journal articlesand a poster presented at the AAEA 2017 Annual Conference in Chicago. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In 2018, a manuscript on the GAMS programming model and optimal location of biofuel refinerieswill be will be submitted and initial work in this area will be presented at conferences. The biofuel research will also begin to assess the economic feasibilty of biofuel production in Oklahoma. Modeling work on the monitoring and tracking of sugarcane aphid use in agriculture will continue and be exercised with data on pest infestation movements throughout 2018.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Developed GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling Systems) programming model to determine optimal location of biorefiery in Oklahoma as part of SUNGRANT research project Literature review on the modeling of techniques to track and monitor the sugarcane aphid infestation in sweet sorghum fields across a multi state region as part of USDA-ARS AWPM project Time series modeling linking agricultural output and prices to economic growth. Impacts of agricultural investments oneconomic output (GDP) completed in PhD dissertation work Publications (see list above). • Manuscripts publishedthat identified irrigable areas and cost-benefit of alternative project designs in the Altus study region • Manuscripts published that identified adoption characteristics and corresponding benefits of hybrid maize varieties • Received funding (USDA APHIS)for conducting economic analysis of IPM strategies to protec sweet sorghum from sugarcane aphid infestations • Findings from the Lake Altus study region conclude that irrigation scheduling enables efficient irrigation delivery and management, promoting water conservation in drought-stricken areas • Updated modeling using irrigation scheduling,as reported in recent publication (Ghimire et al. 2016), confirms earlier findings that expanding Lake Altus irrigation capacity through Army Corps of Engineers proposed chloride control project would be economically beneficialwith a break-even price of as low as $0.65 per lb. • Switchgrass is expected to be an economically viable input for the production of biofuels in the southern plains based on intiial GAMS modeling.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Ghimire, M., Stoecker, A., Boyer, T., Bhavsar, H. and J. Vitale. 2016. An Integration of GIS and Simulation Models for a Cost Benefit Analysis of Irrigation Development. Sustainable Agriculture Research. 5(4): 56-70.

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience targeted for this project is agricultural producers in Oklahoma and neighboring states in the southern plains. The research project targets industrial audiences including stakeholders in the wheat, beef, poultry, and swine production sectors of the southern plains. The research is also intended to be extended to the agricultural research community through peer reviewed journals, extension bulletins and fact sheets, videos, and trade publications. Changes/Problems:There have been no unusual changes or problems over the past year. The goals of the Hatch Progress have become focused on new technologies, e.g. drones and more advanced communication between researchers and producers as well as analysis of "big data,"and this has required a period of literature review, model development, and proposal writing. Output (presentations, book chapters, and journal articles) from these activities are expected to be available in the next year or two. Research on biofuels and other topics of interest to Oklahoma agriculture, e.g. irrigated water use, wheat variety selection, pest management, will continue. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through the conference presentation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In 2017, a manuscript on the optimal location of biofuel refineries will be will be submitted and initial work in this area will be presented at conferences. The modeling work on the use of drones in agriculture and time series will also continue.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The following major activities were completed in 2016: Literature review on the use of drones in agriculture Time series modeling linking agricultural output and prices to economic growth. Econometric analysis of the effects of household attributes on food security published Impacts of agricultural investments in economic output (GDP) completed in dissertation work Presentations and publications. Specific objectives met: • Manuscripts accepted for publication that identified irrigable areas and cost-benefit of alternative project designs in the Altus study region. • Manuscripts accepted for publication that identified adoption characteristics of hybrid maize varieties. • Received funding (SUNGRANT) for determining the optimal location of biofuel plants in Oklahoma and Texas • Completed the development of the nutrient supply and demand components of the fertilizer transportation model. • No-till findings disseminated to extension and research community through extension publication Significant results achieved, including major findings, developments , or conclusions (both positive and negative): • Expanding Lake Altus irrigation capacity through Arm Corps of engineer's proposed chloride control project would be economically beneficial under a normal range of cotton prices, with a break-even price of $0.65 per lb • Extending switchgrass harvest in to the winter would not increase Oklahoma feedstock production cost • The value of seed from Cimarron area of Oklahoma compared to the Alamo area is an additional $501 per ha. • Restricting Switchgrass production to marginal lands (USGS/USDA Class IV) would increase the land requirement by 44% and the feedstock production cost by 30% for an Oklahoma based bio-refinery facility. • The transportation of animal waste in the poultry and swine industries have a greater economic value than previously reported in the literature. • Switchgrass is expected to be an economically viable input for the production of biofuels in the southern plains.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kanza, P. and J. Vitale. Spending in Agricultural Research and Development (R&D) and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: the case of Ethiopia. Presented at the 2016 AAEA Graduate Student Extension Competition, Boston, MA, July 31, 2016.

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience targeted for this project is agricultural producers in Oklahoma and neighboring states in the southern plains. The research project targets industrial audiences including stakeholders in the wheat, beef, poultry, and swine production sectors of the southern plains. The research is also intended to be extended to the agricultural research community through peer reviewed journals, extension bulletins and fact sheets, videos, and trade publications. Changes/Problems:There have been no unusual changes or problems. The goals of the Hatch Progress have become focused on new technologies, e.g. drones and more advanced communication between researchers and producers, and this has required a period of literature review, model development, and proposal writing. Output (presentations, book chapters, and journal articles) from these activities are expected to be available in the next year or two. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through the conference presentation and book chapter. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In 2016, a manuscript on the use of drones in agriculture will be submitted and initial work in this area will be presented at conferences. The modeling work on time series will also continue.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The following major activities were completed in 2013: Literature review on the use of drones in agriculture Time series modeling linking agricultural output and prices to economic growth. Econometric analysis of the effects of household attributes on food security Impacts of climate change on dryland crops such as sorghum and maize using biophysical modeling (EPIC, CROPMAN, and APSIM). Presentations and publications (see list above). Specific objectives met: • Manuscript accepted for publication on the effect of farm size on cotton production • Completed analysis on the fertilization of biofuel crops (switchgrass) • Completed the development of the nutrient supply and demand components of the fertilizer transportation model. • Completed initial phase of analyzing the fixed and operating costs of phosphorous removal structures. • No-till findings disseminated to extension and research community through extension publication (see above) Significant results achieved, including major findings, developments , or conclusions (both positive and negative): • Extending switchgrass harvest in to the winter would not increase Oklahoma feedstock production cost • The value of seed from Cimarron area of Oklahoma compared to the Alamo area is an additional $501 per ha. • Restricting Switchgrass production to marginal lands (USGS/USDA Class IV) would increase the land requirement by 44% and the feedstock production cost by 30% for an Oklahoma based bio-refinery facility. • The transportation of animal waste in the poultry and swine industries have a greater economic value than previously reported in the literature. • Switchgrass is expected to be an economically viable input for the production of biofuels in the southern plains.

Publications

• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vitale, J. and Greenplate, J.  The Role of Biotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture of the 21st Century: The Commercial Introduction of Bollgard II in Burkina Faso. Convergence of Food Security, Energy Security and Sustainable Agriculture. Editors: Smyth, S., Castle, D., and Phillips, P. Verlag Publishing Ltd, Camberley, UK.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Patrick Kanza and Jeffrey Vitale. Agriculture in Developing countries and the Role of Government: Economic Perspectives". Selected paper presented at the American Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) meeting San Francisco, Ca. July 26-28, 2015.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Vitale, J. and Park, P. The socio-economic impacts of GM cotton in Burkina Faso: Does farm structure affect how benefits are distributed? Accepted for publication in the peer reviewed journal Agbioforum.