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Whole-Farm Evaluation of No-Till Profitability in Rice Production using Mixed Integer Programming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

K. Bradley Watkins ,
Jason L. Hill ,
Merle M. Anders  and
Tony E. Windham
K. Bradley Watkins
Affiliation:
University of Arkansas Rice Research & Extension Center, Stuttgart, AR
Jason L. Hill
Affiliation:
University of Arkansas Rice Research & Extension Center, Stuttgart, AR
Merle M. Anders
Affiliation:
University of Arkansas Rice Research & Extension Center, Stuttgart, AR
Tony E. Windham
Affiliation:
Department of Community and Economic Development, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock, AR
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Abstract

Rice production in Arkansas usually involves intensive tillage. No-till rice has been studied, but the focus has been limited to impacts on yields and per acre returns. This study uses mixed integer programming to model optimal machinery selection and evaluate whole-farm profitability of no-till management for rice-soybean farms. Results indicate that lower machinery ownership expenses combined with lower fuel and labor expenses do enhance the profitability of no-till management, but the monetary gains appear to be modest, implying that other incentives may be necessary to entice producers to use the practice.

Keywords

conventional tilleconomies of sizemachinery complementsmixed integer programmingno-tillricesoybeanwhole-farm net returnsQ12Q15Q16Q24Q25
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 38 , Issue 3 , December 2006 , pp. 611 - 627
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2006

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