Abstract
Public concern over the potential effects of energy price increases on the U.S. food and fiber system has been dramatically justified in the Trans Pecos region of Texas where a 450 percent increase in the price of natural gas was followed by the idiling of thousands of irrigated acres and the departure of many of the farmers. This study was conducted to provide the answers to two questions: (1) Can an irrigated farm survive in the Trans Pecos? And (2) If it survives, how profitable will it be? Coyanosa, one of the irrigated areas of the Trans Pecos, was selected as a study area, and the St. Lawrence area of the Edwards Plateau was selected to provide comparative estimates of survival and profitability. A modified MOTAD linear programming-simulation model was developed to generate estimates of survival and profitability by recursive simulation of multiple time periods, as follows: (1) development of a farm plan, (2) generation of stochastic prices and yields, (3) simulation and evaluation of the farm plan in operation, and (4) update of the planning situation to reflect adjustments in expected prices, expected yields, and credit restrictions. The model then returns to step 1 for simulation of the next time period.
Condra, Gary D. (1978). An economic feasibility study of irrigated crop production in the Pecos Valley of Texas. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -318315.