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This study looks at the economic feasibility of Alternate Wet Drying (AWD) irrigation methods to address concerns of groundwater depletion and greenhouse gas (methane) emissions associated with rice production. AWD is an irrigation régime where the producer allows the rice field to dry intermittently during the rice life-cycle rather than having the field continuously submerged. In previous studies AWD has been found to reduce water usage by from 20-70% and to reduce methane emissions by over 50% as compared to rice produced under continuous flooding. However; the large disadvantage of AWD is that it is often times associated with a yield loss. Thus, this study sets out to estimate the economic viability of three types of AWD irrigation methods in Arkansas using test plot data. Data includes water usage, methane emissions and yields for three hybrid rice varieties across three years and three AWD methods. The goals of this study are to (1) estimate if any of the AWD methods demonstrate higher profitability than traditional flooding (2) introduce a carbon offset market to capture benefits of the GHG reduction, via methane, and estimate profitability between AWD and traditional flooding (3) introduce a water tax equivalent to the social cost of water and reestimate profitability of AWD and traditional flooding. These results will give producers as well as large rice buyers (MARS and Kelloggs) an idea of relative profitability and additional premiums necessary to switch to/source a more “sustainable” rice crop.

Irrigation fuel costs represent a significant portion of rice production expenses. Multiple inlet (MI) irrigation represents a water saving alternative to conventional flood irrigation. This study uses simulation to calculate the range of monetary benefits to MI in rice production. Water savings from MI relative to conventional flood irrigation along with rice yields, rice prices, and prices for key production inputs (diesel and fertilizer) are simulated, and stochastic rice net returns above variable and fixed expenses are calculated for different pump lifts with and without MI. Monetary benefits to MI are measured as the difference in net returns with and without MI. The results indicate MI monetary benefits depend greatly on pump lift and the presence or absence of a yield increase. Monetary benefits to MI increase as pump lifts become larger, and relatively small increases in yield resulting from MI irrigation can greatly enhance its payoff.

Arkansas is the top domestic rice producer, representing nearly half of total U.S. rice production. Sediment is one of the major pollutants in rice producing areas of Arkansas. In order to mitigate this problem no-tillage management is often recommended. No-tillage is not well understood by farmers who believe that no-till is less profitable due to lower yields offsetting cost savings. This study evaluates the profitability and variability of no-till in the typical rice-soybean rotation used in Arkansas rice production. Crop yields, prices and prices for key production inputs (fuel and fertilizer) are simulated for the rotation, and net return distributions for rice, soybean and the two-year rotation are evaluated for no-till and conventional till using stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) analysis. The results indicate that both risk neutral and risk-averse rice producers would prefer no-till over conventional till management in the two year rice-soybean rotation, and that no-till soybeans contribute greatly to the overall profitability of the rotation.

This study evaluated the impacts of farm size and stochastic return variability on no-till (NT) rice profitability at the whole-farm level. Mixed integer programming was used to determine optimal machinery complements, fuel consumption, and machinery labor requirements for conventional till (CT) and NT rice-soybean farms of 1200, 2400, and 3600 acres in size. Crop yields, market prices, and prices for key production inputs were simulated to construct stochastic whole-farm net returns for each farm size under CT and NT management, and both first and second degree stochastic dominance analysis were used to rank cumulative distribution functions of whole-farm returns according to specified risk preferences. The results indicate NT farms exhibit second degree stochastic dominance over CT farms regardless of farm size, and high input prices have less downward effect on the profitability of NT farms relative to CT farms.

This study evaluates both the profitability and risk efficiency of grazing stocker steers on conservation tillage winter wheat pasture using simulation and stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF). Average daily gains are simulated for steers grazed on conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and no-till (NT) winter wheat pasture. Steer price distributions and prices for key production inputs such as diesel, fertilizer, and glyphosate are also simulated. Stocker steer net return distributions by tillage treatment are constructed and ranked for risk efficiency using SERF. The results indicate the NT system is the most profitable and most risk efficient of the three tillage systems, followed by the RT system. Both conservation tillage systems dominate the CT system under risk aversion based on SERF analysis and generate positive risk premiums for risk-averse cattle producers above the CT system.

No-till (NT) has been shown to reduce fuel, labor, and machinery costs compared to conventional-till (CT) but very few rice producers in Arkansas practice NT. The low adoption rate is most likely due to difficulties in management but also limited information on the profitability and risk of NT. Most rice producers are knowledgeable on NT costs savings but consider it less profitable due to yield reductions offsetting costs savings. This study evaluates production costs, crop yields, and economic risk of both NT and CT in five rice-based cropping systems (continuous rice, rice-soybean, rice-corn, rice-wheat, and rice-wheat-soybean-wheat). Yields, crop prices, and key input prices are simulated to create net return distributions. Stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) is used to evaluate profitability and risk efficiency. Results indicate that a risk-neutral and risk-averse producer in either NT or CT would prefer a rice-soybean rotation. NT would be preferred over CT in the rice-soybean rotation across all risk preferences. Overall, risk-neutral producers would prefer NT in four of five cropping systems while risk-averse producers would prefer NT in three of five cropping systems.

Fields precision leveled to a zero grade require significantly less applied water and provide significant savings in annual production expenses relative to contour levee rice fields. However, zero-grade is a land improvement and requires a large initial capital investment. This study uses a Net Present Value (NPV) approach to evaluate the monetary benefits of zero-grade rice production for tenants and landlords under alternative rental arrangements. Results indicate both parties can gain positive monetary benefits under most lease structures in the long run but may experience short run monetary losses if yields decline during the initial years after the land improvement.

Rice is a major cash crop in eastern Arkansas, but most rice acres are intensively cultivated and grown on rented land. No-till is an effective means of sequestering soil carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and economic incentives exist for no-till in the form of carbon credits. Studies evaluating the economic potential of carbon credits focus on producers only and do not take into consideration the landlord’s perspective. This analysis evaluates the profitability and risk efficiency of no-till management and carbon credits in Arkansas rice production from the prospective if the landlord using simulation and stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF). The results indicate carbon credits may have potential to enhance preference for no-till in rice production by risk-averse landlords.

Rice production generally involves intensive cultivation. The profitability of no-till rice has been investigated but solely from the producer’s perspective. Most farmed cropland is owned by someone else. This study evaluates the risk efficiency of no-till rice from the landlord’s perspective using stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF).

Rice production in Arkansas usually involves intensive tillage. No-till rice has been studied, but the focus has been limited to impacts on yields and per acre returns. This study uses mixed integer programming to model optimal machinery selection and evaluate whole-farm profitability of no-till management, for rice-soybean farms. Results indicate that lower machinery ownership expenses combined with lower fuel and labor expenses do enhance the profitability of no-till management, but the monetary gains appear to be modest, implying that other incentives may be necessary to entice producers to use the practice.

Rice in Arkansas is typically produced using intensive tillage. No-till rice has been studied, but the research focus has been limited to impacts on yields and per acre net returns. This analysis evaluates the profitability of no-till rice at the whole-farm level using both enterprise budget analysis and linear programming.