G. WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES FOR AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS

The project will determine the most economically effective use of water on agricultural lands and provide producers with an estimate of the potential amount of water rights they may be able to offer to the market for lease or sale.

Researchers:

From UNR: Kynda R. Curtis (PI), Department of Resource Economics (DRE); Thomas Harris (PI), DRE; Jonathon Alevy (Co-PI), DRE; and Wuyang Hu (Co-PI), DRE

UNR Collaborators: Elizabeth Leger, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science (NRES); Peter Weisberg, NRES; Jay Davison, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

DRI Collaborator: Jay Arnone, Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

Updates:

January 2008:

Progress continues in the collection of costs/returns data on current and alternative crops for the Basin. In January, we met with a group of Teff growers to collect costs/returns data.

February 2008:

Progress continues in the collection of costs/returns data on current and alternative crops for the Basin. The designer of WinEpic and CropMan software conducted a four-day workshop for all project researchers.

March 2008:

All data collection is complete and model designed. We are now ready for analysis.

April 2008:

Analysis is now underway.

Farmers attended pilot (April 30) of user crop/irrigation comparison interface to provide feedback for look and functionality of final product.

May 2008:

Irrigation yield response functions completed for alfalfa and two row malt barley for both Yerington and Smith weather stations. One hundred years projected, using historical weather data. Alfalfa production profitable in Mason Valley at 29-31 acre inches applied at historical alfalfa pricing. Lower irrigation applications not profitable.

June 2008:

Irrigation yield response functions for all eight crops on three soils for both Yerington and Smith weather stations have been completed, and one hundred years projected, using historical weather data. Break-even pricing and net returns per crop per acre were calculated.

Results were presented at the Western Agricultural Economics Association annual meeting in Big Sky, Montana, June 26-28.

July 2008:

All research and results write-up have been completed and a spreadsheet for producer use is under construction.

August 2008:

There are no updates this month.

September 2008:

The producer alternative crops assessment spreadsheet program has been completed and is ready for use. The curriculum to be used at producer sessions is being developed.

October 2008:

The curriculum to be used at a producer seminar is in the final stage of development. The producer seminar on this project will be held in Yerington on Wednesday, November 19 from 1 to 4 p.m. in conjunction with the Nevada Farm Bureau Conference.

November 2008:

Thirty-two producers and agency representatives attended the seminar on this project held in Yerington on Wednesday November 19 from 1-4 pm.

Coming up