The purpose of this report is to assess the role of agriculture in the North Dakota economy. This analysis is both statewide and regional in perspective (data are provided for each of the state's eight planning regions). Key indicators used in the analysis include sales for final demand (i.e., sales to out-of-state markets), gross business volume (gross receipts), gross state product (value added), and direct employment for each economic sector. The analysis reveals that, although its role in the North Dakota economy has been reduced in a relative sense, agriculture remains a cornerstone of the state economy and remains the largest goods and services exporting sector. While agriculture accounts for smaller shares of state sales for final demand, gross business volume, and gross state product than was the case 10 or 20 years ago, the decrease in agriculture's relative importance in most cases merely signifies that other sectors (e.g., manufacturing) have grown more rapidly. Thus, agriculture's decreasing share of sales for final demand or gross state product to a large extent reflects the success of long-term efforts to diversify the North Dakota economy. The agriculture sector has contributed to North Dakota's economic growth and diversification by serving as a source of commodities for further value-added processing (e.g., durum, potatoes) and as a market for farm input manufacturers. Manufacturing has been the largest single source of growth in gross state product over the past two decades, and both farm input manufacturing (part of durable goods manufacturing) and food processing (part of nondurable goods manufacturing) have been substantial sources of that growth. The importance of agriculture to North Dakota's economy can be highlighted: -Agriculture accounts for one-fourth of basic economic activity and almost 36 percent of all exports of goods and services -Agriculture directly employs almost 11 percent of the state's workers and generates more than $6 billion in business activity (gross receipts) -North Dakota ranks second in the nation in the percentage of gross state product derived from agriculture
The purpose of this study was to measure the economic contribution of the wheat industry to the North Dakota economy. Wheat is produced in all areas of the state; however, production is concentrated in the Red River Valley and in the northern third of the state. Wheat production (spring, durum, and winter wheat) in North Dakota averaged about 9.1 million planted acres and 275 million bushels annually from 2001 through 2003. Direct impacts (in-state expenditures and returns) from wheat production averaged $126.50 per acre or $1.14 billion annually from 2001 through 2003. Direct impacts from handling wheat at North Dakota elevators were estimated at $32 million annually. Transportation of wheat to both in-state and out-of-state destinations was estimated to generate $73 million annually in direct impacts. Annual direct impacts from wheat processing (milling activities) were estimated at $100 million. When secondary economic impacts were included, the wheat industry was estimated to have a gross business volume of $3.56 billion annually from 2001 through 2003. Wheat industry activities also supported over 35,000 full-time secondary jobs and generated $126 million in combined property tax, sales tax, individual income tax, and corporate income tax collections in North Dakota. Due primarily to reduced grain volume, current economic impacts from wheat production, grain handling, and transportation activities decreased from levels in 1991 through 1993. However, impacts from wheat processing increased by 121 percent in real terms between the two periods. Overall, the economic size of the wheat industry in North Dakota declined 33 percent from 1991 through 1993 to 2001 through 2003. Despite recent reductions in wheat acreage and production, the wheat industry in North Dakota remains one of the most important economic activities in the state, agricultural or otherwise.
Choosing new crops based upon a promising marketing forecast may aid in immediate demand. However, New crops that offer advantageous ecological characteristics aid in the long-term cost and stability of the crop system. Ne crops may be used for foodstuffs and non-food applications. Diversity of crops and research is need today in North Dakota to aid farmers in staying both productive and profitable. Utilizing both the ecological and marketing approaches should be central to our strategies.
Value-added commodities were deemed in this 1994 as the having the most potential for growth in sales. Older, traditional commodity markets had matured. Overall factors considered were domestic markets, exports and imports. The demographics of consumers were discussed. The wealthiest nations were deemed as highly potential markets of added-value products. Value-added products can be those that simply have been repackaged for consumption or those that have been processed to produce more complex food stuffs.
The focus of this article was the need to create economic development alternatives in the Northern Plains states especially Native American reservations. South Dakota and North Dakota has different had different barometers for gauging what constituted a successful Native American, grass roots business. The majority of small businesses were completely started, created and funded by the owners themselves.
This article discusses the many challenges that were facing former Soviet Russia in adjusting to the free market in grain trade.
An overview of H.R. Lund's time as associate director (1970-79) and as director (1979-94) at the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES). Agricultural research and teachings grew by 65%. A survey of the many buildings he had constructed are outlined.
Donald E. Anderson remembers and outlines his fifteen career as the Director of Research at the North Dakota Agricultural Experimental Station.
The topic was the NSDU Extension Service's Youth Entrepreneurship Training Program Be Your Own Boss created to encourage youth to become business owners and to come to possess the knowledge, skills and drive to become independent business owners in the field of agriculture.
The topic was the seeding rate, seeding-year harvest and cultivar effects on sweet clover productivity in North Dakota. Six experiments were reviewed.
The trade agreement between the US and Canada named CUSTA,the Canadian-US Free Trade Agreement led to tensions in trade relations in the grain markets of wheat and barley. The influx of Canadian wheat and barley sent ripples into the US grain markets. Canada was leveraging it' dominant position by taking advantage of various dynamics of the trade agreement. This placed US grain producers at a great competitive disadvantage. The US utilized various trade and marketing policies in an attempt to equalize the marketplace.
Beef was a significant income avenue for North Dakota agricultural producers. Asian markets such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and China were considered to be potential markets for North Dakota farmers. Different markets had different tastes and cuts of meat. Factors such as shipping costs, packaging, processing, different feed requirements and different business practices were studied to calculate the profitability margin of doing cattle business in Asia.
This article addresses how to heat livestock barns in harsh North Dakota winters cheaply and safely. The method chosen for critique was using rocks to retain heat from exhaust fans from barns and to have this heat returned back into the barns by reversing ventilation fans. Tweeking the test system by various means prove effective. Redesigning the barn to further optimize increased heating capabilities were successful. Humidity levels and problems of fogging or rain in the barn were absent.
The topic was the usage of 'salvaged' heat from exhaust air in the dairy barn. Rocks would be used to collect and to hold waste heat from the vents. This article discusses a heat exchange method tested in a small barn and used successfully in the large (l20-cow) freestall N DSU dairy barn. The ventilation system uses field rocks to absorb the heat from the exhaust air and return it to the barn in the intake air by reversing the ventilating fan.
Farm goods are graded on their cleanliness by percentage of various contaminants found in samples of agricultural product. Less garbage, better USDA rating and better price at the marketplace. Various aspects of the added costs of cleaning, exporting, importing and grading such are examined got both the US and other countries. Profitability is a consideration in determining the limit of cleaning processes applied to these farm products. The benefits can outstrip making a profit.
In the 1980's, in the US across the board, domestic manufacturers have have faced foreign competition with an increased disadvantage with imports. Domestic businesses, including those in rural areas, have had to struggle with restructuring their businesses, decentralizing them, outsourcing, relocating overseas, go out of business altogether or to reduce their business size or workforce numbers. Economic initiatives like 'Growing North Dakota' attempted to educate North Dakota citizens to the necessity of their state increasing it's growth in manufacturing and in ways they could help these industries grow such as financing these industries at favorable terms, aiding in the transfer of technology commercialization or assisting such technologies. By aiding the manufacturing sector this was deemed as aiding in the diversification of the North Dakota economy.
Written in the time of the push for 'globalization', the mid-1990s, grasping a world market with one's products appeared the future of business. High quality wheat products from the US were in increasing demand. These value-added being bakery goods, snacks, pasta and breakfast cereals. The wealthiest countries were the larger consumers. Trade agreements, different demographics,foreign competition, different business practices, varying political systems, work force composition, continued urbanization, changing diets and higher personal incomes all must be looked into to further open exportation markets for US high quality, value-added wheat products.
In 1993, the usage of microwave ovens to 'zap' baking potatoes made the their future appear bright. The new variety of Russet potato, Goldrush, was developed at NDSU in 1992.The cross that resulted in the Goldrush occurred in a greenhouse in 1980. The Goldrush is medium in it's maturity rate and has a medium tinsel strength vine. The Goldrush was deemed to posses excellent culinary appeal. It is susceptible to normal potato diseases. However, it stores quite well. The white, earth tone, internal complexion of this potato is unaffected by cooking.
Actual sunflower meal sales and estimated sales were two different things. In 1993, trying to find methods of determining actual, future demand is presented. Increasing agricultural sales by new crops were being sought in North Dakota. The 'linear programming method' is discussed. The difficulties in using such are reviewed.
Over seeding was a problem that was often overlooked in the 1993. Over seeding produced weeds and weakened seedlings. These weakened or choked out plants produced less. It is important to recognize that the size of a seed may vary within the same crop in the calculation for optimum seed saturation of a field. A 6 step method is presented for calculating seed rate in pounds per acre assuming a population of million live seeds per acre is used.
