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Submitted to: Ag Research Reports - Project Summary Reports
Publication Type: Other Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2005 Publication Date: 7/1/2005 Citation: Archer, D.W. 2005. Drift prairie conservation ag: Economics five-year report. In: Jacobson, B. and Clancy, S., editors. Final Report on Conservation Agriculture. Bismarck, ND: North Dakota Natural Resources Trust. p. 82-88. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: This report documents the economic performance and conservation expenditures in 2000-2004 for the participants in the Drift Prairie Conservation Agriculture demonstration farms. Financial reports were completed with the participants and submitted by adult farm management instructors. Averages for the North Central and Red River Valley regions of North Dakota Farm Business Management Education Program (NDFBMEP) are also included in the report as references to show the relative financial performance of the demonstration farm participants to other participants in the NDFBMEP. A list of indicators, along with the 2000-2004 averages for demonstration farm participants, and NDFBMEP participants are given. These indicators may be used in several ways to assess economic performance and sustainability. First, indicator values can show performance for a single year (or a single point in time for some indicators) in absolute terms. This may indicate how good or bad a particular year was, but does not indicate to what degree the results are due to management or to factors beyond a participant's control. Second, trends in indicator values over several years can be used to show whether conditions are improving or declining, providing an indicator of long-term sustainability. Third, indicators can be assessed based on relative values. This can show performance compared to others in the region or to a fixed target. The relative indicators are calculated so values greater than one indicate performance better than the state average, and values less than one indicate performance worse than the state average. Time trends in the relative indicators, averaged over the four demonstration farms, show the performance of the demonstration farm as a group over time compared to the regional averages. Analysis of indicator trends was performed using linear regression for each farm and the regional averages. A significance level of 10% was used in evaluating significant trends for individual farms and regional averages and evaluating differences in trends between farms and regional averages. |
