What would happen to producer profits if Roundup Ready sugarbeet technology was no longer available and how facilitators help Wyoming citizens make group decisions received first and second places in the University of Wyoming's Reflections magazine.
Reflections highlights research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and is a publication of the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). An anonymous group of faculty members and researchers in the college rank the articles.
Scientists in the Departments of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Plant Sciences found that producers who use Roundup Ready sugarbeet seed, and assuming a 2-ton per acre increase because of the technology, gain on average $95 per acre more than if low-cost, conventional tillage and seed was used. If a producer utilizes high-cost, conventional production practices, the Roundup Ready system is $107 more profitable without any yield increase and $223.73 more profitable if assuming a 2-ton/acre yield increase for the Roundup Ready system.
Authors are associate professor Chris Bastian, assistant professor John Ritten, and research scientist Brian Lee, who is based at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center, in the agricultural economics department, and assistant professor Andrew Kniss in plant sciences.Implementing methods to ask questions, planning dialogue and helping members reach decisions as a group is a goal of a facilitator. Tara Kuipers, a University of Wyoming Extension community development educator based in Cody, found those participating in facilitated sessions:
* Better understood what was to be accomplished,
* Were more interested and engaged,
* Interacted openly and productively,
* Thoroughly addressed agenda items, and
* Felt satisfied with the outcomes.
Visit aes@uwyo.edu.