Agricultural Economics
2014 Farm Bill Crop Commodity Program Payments in Idaho
The 2014 Farm Bill initiated revenue support programs for crop farmers (ARC-CO, ARC-IC and PLC). This study determines whether or not the bill functioned as expected. It investigates how ARC-CO and...
Companies are increasingly substituting biodegradable plastics for regular plastics, given their environmental and socioeconomic benefits. The agricultural industry is no exception. Learn more...
Agriculture: A Foundation for Idaho's Economy
Agriculture is the foundation of Idaho’s economy. This poster attractively depicts the signature industry’s economic contribution in 2017, most prominently the total market value of all...
Back to Basics: Hedging and Basis in Grain Marketing
Basis in grain marketing refers to the difference between cash and futures prices. Having a solid understanding of it and its seasonal patterns is crucial to any successful marketing plan. Learn...
Break-even Analysis of Small-Scale Production of Pastured Organic Poultry
Data from five years of trials at Washington State University were used to compare costs and returns for pastured organic broilers using two strains of Cornish Cross meat birds, the industry...
Business Management Guide for Grazers
Describes the management process for management-intensive grazing (MiG) as a series of three recurring operations: strategic, tactical and operational. Provides sample enterprise budgets and...
Buying and Selling Hay on the Stump
This publication provides a five-step process and lists several online business tools that will empower buyers and sellers to successfully establish a fair price for hay on the stump. The steps...
Changing Idaho Feed Crop Supply and Demand—Implications
The number of animals in concentrated animal feeding operations has increased since the early 1990s. The upsurge has influenced the supply and demand for crops used as feed, like alfalfa hay,...
Contribution of Agribusiness to Idaho's Economy, 2010
In 2010, Idaho agribusinesses sold more than $15 billion of goods and services, generated $3.4 billion in gross state product, and created 50,000 Idaho jobs. It was Idaho's largest base industry by...
Contribution of Agribusiness to the Idaho Economy, 2011
In 2011, Idaho agribusiness contributed $24 billion (20%) of total Idaho sales, over $8.3 billion (14%) of the state's GSP and over 123,000 (14%) Idaho jobs, according to a base analysis that takes...
Contribution of Agribusiness to the Idaho Economy, 2013
In 2013, Idaho agribusiness contributed more than $27 billion (20%) of total Idaho sales, over $10 billion (16%) of the state's GSP and over 126,000 (14%) Idaho jobs, according to a base analysis...
Contribution of Agribusiness to the Magic Valley Economy, 2010
Taking into account the ripple effects of exports from Magic Valley agribusinesses in 2010, agribusiness in the Magic Valley contributed close to 60% of the region's sales, 45% of its gross...
Contribution of Agribusiness to the Magic Valley Economy, 2013
Agriculture in the Magic Valley has grown from family farmsteads into a giant agribusiness industry, providing jobs for the valley's residents and food for national and international markets. In...
Contribution of Agribusiness to the Magic Valley Economy, 2018
Agriculture in the Magic Valley has grown from family farmsteads into a giant agribusiness industry, providing jobs for the valley's residents and food for national and international markets. In...
Contribution of the Grape and Wine Industry to Idaho's Economy
The grape and wine industry is one of the fastest growing in the United States and while Idaho's grape and wine industry is relatively small, it is beginning to grow, gaining in both regional and...
Contributions of Agriculture to Idaho's Economy: 2006
Agriculture makes the biggest contribution to Idaho's economy, more than any other economic sector. This 12-page illustrated publication, intended for laymen and policy makers details the...
How do growers know what to grow or what will be profitable for their operation? This publication provides benchmark estimates for farm-level costs and returns for the dryland crops typically...
Costs and Returns for Irrigated Organic Russet Burbank Potato Production in Southern Idaho
This study compares economic costs and returns for producing organic potatoes on farms of two sizes, a relatively small farm with 30 to 50 acres in potatoes and a larger farm with about 100 to 120...
Cover Crops for Grazing Use in Idaho
This publication will help crop and livestock producers in Idaho or other high-desert systems to select, plant, and manage cover crop species and mixtures that can also serve as livestock forage.
This publication outlines the beneficial environmental and economic impact of nematode research on the Idaho agricultural industry. It has information on the historical perspective of research,...
Economic Contribution of Idaho Agribusiness
Agriculture is king in Idaho, accounting for a greater share of the state’s economy than in neighboring states and the United States as a whole. Read more about 2023’s performance in this economic...
Economics of Yellow Mustard in the Pacific Northwest
This publication addresses the economic feasibility of producing mustard in the Pacific Northwest. Specific topics reviewed include yield potential, supply and demand considerations, markets and...
Estimating Long-Term Idaho Hay Prices Using Multiple Data Sources
The dairy industry can substantially affect markets for other agricultural commodities, particularly those like alfalfa hay, which is used in dairy feed. In other words, hay and milk prices move...
Ethanol in the Pacific Northwest
Ethanol: Where does it come from? How is it used? Learn the background of ethanol as a transportation biofuel and the important role it plays in the PNW. Authors: Noelle M. Hart, Keaton L. Lesnik,...
Farm-direct Marketing: An Overview and Introduction
This revision summarizes benefits, drawbacks and requirements of several direct marketing options, including farmers markets, farm or roadside stands, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), U-pick,...
Farm-direct Marketing: Costs and Enterprise Selection
This revision covers how to do a general budget analysis for your farm-direct enterprise. Includes how to identify fixed and variable costs and do a breakeven analysis. Author: Larry Lev 6 pages
Farm-direct Marketing: Financial Management
This revision looks at several aspects of a successful farm-direct enterprise, including benefits of good farm financial planning, explanation of important terms used in financial planning, keys to...
Farm-direct Marketing: Location and Facilities for On-farm Sales
This revision discusses aspects of good location and facilities for a farm-direct marketing business, including location, site selection, parking and types of facilities (such as a roadside stand...
Farm-direct Marketing: Merchandising and Pricing Strategies
This revision discusses the strategies direct marketers use to make sales. It includes making a merchandising plan, display and packaging, customer service, pricing strategies and techniques, and...
Farm-direct Marketing: Personnel Management
This revision includes information on complying with labor laws, ways to find good employees, employee orientation and training, employee policies and employee management. Author: Christy Anderson...
Idaho Agricultural Global Exports, 2018
In 2017, Idaho's foreign exports totaled almost $3.9 billion. The second-largest category of exports was food and agricultural products, which contributed 22% of Idaho's total exports. This...
This publication is an overview of commercial apple production including production regions, production practices, pest management, weeds and diseases. Information includes a description of the...
Idaho Private Rangeland Grazing — Lease Arrangements
Although the USDA publishes lease rates for grazing on private rangelands in Idaho, little it known about the leasing details, services provided by landowners or other critical factors that...
Managing Price Risks Using Grain Contracts
Managing price risks in commodity markets is a complex task. Indeed, grain producers must think globally, which is always a challenge. Sharpen your marketing strategies by learning the basic...
Margin Protection Crop Insurance for Idaho Corn Growers
Margin protection is an area-based insurance plan that protects producers from a decline in operating margins due to high input costs, low county yield, low commodity prices or any combination.
Marketing Strategies for Idaho Wheat Producers: Identifying Top Performers
Grain markets have significantly changed over the past thirty years, but many wheat growers still rely solely on the elevator quote at harvest time. Discover a better approach in this study of the...
Potato Cost of Production for Idaho: 2016 With Comparisons to 2015
Get an accurate estimate of the 2016 cost of producing potatoes in three Idaho regions (southwestern, south central and eastern) by reviewing annual potato yields (plus historical comparisons),...
Premiums and Discounts for Market Beef Cows and Bulls Sold at Auction
The results of the beef quality audits reported here will help beef producers to optimize the value of their market (cull) beef cows and bulls with the ultimate goal of improving the quality and...
Price Indices for Estimating Cattle Prices in the Pacific Northwest
This publication describes trends in cattle prices and explains the use of seasonal price indices to estimate future cattle prices. The indices allow producers to estimate prices for potential sale...
Scheduling the Final Irrigation for Wheat and Barley
Water management during grain formation is more important than ever, particularly with urban expansion and the subsequent increase in municipal water use. By investigating crop water-use patterns...
Spring Annual Forage Hay Production in North-Central Idaho
Cattle producers in north-central Idaho need quality feed for their herds. But to satisfy that need, you need to do your homework. This publication helps growers and cattlemen understand how to use...
The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2018
Summary of the financial condition of Idaho agriculture in 2018. Includes net farm income, cash receipts, revenue from livestock and crops, and the overall contribution of agribusiness to Idaho's...
The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2019
Summary of the financial condition of Idaho agriculture in 2019. Includes net farm income, cash receipts, revenue from livestock and crops, and the overall contribution of agribusiness to Idaho's...
The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2020
This comprehensive yet concise annual report, often relied upon by state legislators, summarizes the financial condition of Idaho agriculture. The categories covered for 2020 include net farm...
The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2021
This comprehensive yet concise annual report, often relied upon by state legislators, summarizes the financial condition of Idaho agriculture. The categories covered for 2021 include net farm...
The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2022
This annual report details the financial health of Idaho agriculture, containing statistics on farm cash receipts, net farm income, government payments, the gross domestic product, and livestock...
Understanding International Trade: Episode 1, Why Trade and What to Trade?
In this episode, we answer two fundamental but very important questions in international trade: why do countries want to trade with each other and how do countries decide what to produce? To...
Understanding International Trade: Episode 2, World Supply and Demand
In Episode 1, our friend Joe Vandal exports potato chips to Mars and imports memory chips from Mars. What happens if you own a small farm like Roger and produce potato chips for the domestic...
Understanding International Trade: Episode 3, What is a Trade Deficit?
In this video, we look at an accounting issue: "What is the balance of payments among countries?" We often hear the term "trade deficit" in the news. But what exactly is a trade deficit? Is a trade...
Understanding International Trade: Episode 4, Winners and Losers of Trade
This is the last video in the series on "Understanding International Trade: The Basic Ideas." If you recall in Episode 1, we showed that countries benefit from free trade. So, if trade is good, why...
Understanding International Trade: The Basic Ideas
Welcome to the video series, Understanding International Trade: The Basic Ideas. This video provides a brief overview and introduction to the video series. International trade affects both...
Women Farmers on the Rise? Understanding USDA Data-Collection Methods
Agricultural data collection in the United States has become more systematic since the first census report appeared in 1820. Conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the...