Abstract:The Northwest Wheat and Range Region is historically known for high soil erosion rates. During the 1920s and 1930s, erosion rates of 200 to 450 t ha -1 (90 to 200 tn ac -1 ) in a single winter season were observed. Improved soil conservation practices over the last 80 years have significantly reduced soil erosion rates, yet there is scarce evidence of significant reductions in sediment loading delivered by streams in the region. In this paper, detailed monitoring data collected in the Paradise Creek watershed, located in the high precipitation zone of the Northwest Wheat and Range Region in north central Idaho, provided an opportunity to assess the impacts of management practices on sediment loading at the watershed outlet. Both detailed event-based sampling over the last eight years and three day per week grab samples collected over the last 28 years indicate a statistically significant decreasing trend in overall sediment load. This decreasing sediment load can be attributed primarily to conversion from conventional tillage systems to minimum tillage and perennial grasses through the Conservation Reserve Program, practices initiated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over the last 10 years (1999 to 2009), management practices have targeted gully erosion and stream bank failures. Upstream and downstream sampling shows a larger than expected increase in sediment load through the urban areas of the watershed. Preliminary modeling results and empirical evidence indicate that delayed reduction in sediment load at the watershed outlet and the increased sediment load through the lower urban portion of the watershed may be caused by sediment storage in the stream channel.
The value of public land forage has been of key interest since grazing fees were first established on federal lands. Additionally, knowing the value of rangeland forage is important for assessing the economics of range improvements, grazing systems, and alternative land uses. It is important for resource value comparisons and impact assessments when public land forage is allocated to other uses. In this synthesis paper, we review the various methods that have been used to value public land forage and discuss the advantages and limitations of each. We highlight that past valuation efforts have concentrated on the value of public land forage for livestock production and, consequently, underestimated total forage value and rancher willingness to pay for forage and grazing permits. These research efforts failed to recognize that amenity and lifestyle attributes from ranch ownership and forage leasing play important roles in the use and pricing of rangeland forage. We review the numerous studies conducted to estimate public land forage value and suggest modifications to improve future value estimates. Because lifestyle attributes of ranch ownership have so strongly influenced ranch values and what ranchers are willing to pay for grazing use on public lands, we find the market value of federal grazing permits and a modification of the standard contingent valuation method for valuing non-market goods to hold the greatest promise for valuing public land grazing.
Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) producers face unique challenges in N fertilizer management because of the relationships among price, sucrose content, and root yield. This study evaluates the economic efficiency of N fertilizer applications using broadcast, knife band, and point injection application methods. The most profitable rate of N was examined for each application method under goals of profit maximization, root yield maximization, sucrose‐yield maximization, and recoverable sucrose‐yield maximization. This study was based on production data collected at the University of Wyoming Research and Extension Center at Powell from 1991 to 1993. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete‐block design with four replications of each treatment. Treatments consisted of a control (no applied N) and factorial combinations of four N rates (80, 160, 240, and 320 lb N/acre in 1991 and 60, 120, 180, and 240 lb N/acre in 1992 and 1993) with each application method. Response functions relating the amount of N applied to gross returns, root yield, sucrose yield, and recoverable sucrose yield for each of the three application methods were used to derive the optimal amount of N to be applied. Point injection returned $966/acre above fertilizer and beet hauling costs while broadcasting and knife banding returned $899/acre and $872/acre, respectively. Profit maximizing N rates were 187 lb/acre for point injection, 187 lb/acre for knife banding, and 220 lb/acre for broadcasting. The goal of maximizing profits returned the greatest income above fertilizer and beet hauling costs. Maximizing root yield returned the least income above fertilizer and beet hauling costs and required the most N. Maximizing sucrose or recoverable sucrose yield returned income above fertilizer and beet hauling costs and used fertilizer levels that fell between those of maximizing profit and root yield. Research Question Sugarbeet producers face unique challenges in N fertilizer management because of the relationship among price, sucrose content, and root yield. Excessive N rates not only increase, fertilizer costs, but also reduce economic returns. This study evaluates the economic efficiency of N fertilizer applications for sugar‐beets using broadcasting, knife banding, and point injection application methods. The most profitable rate of N was examined for each application method under the producer goals of profit maximization, root yield maximization, sucrose yield maximization, and recoverable sucrose yield maximization. Literature Summary Studies have shown that broadcasting exhibits lower fertilizer‐use efficiency due to surface runoff N losses, leaching, denitrification, immobilization, and volatilization. Knife banding overcomes some shortcomings of broadcasting, such as surface runoff and volatilization, by injecting N under the soil. Negative effects of knife injection include large amounts of soil disturbance, crop residue, and increased pruning of plant roots. Point injection has been shown to require less horsepower than knife banding an...
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