Cropping Systems Analysis
CSENV, APEC 426/626

SYLLABUS

SEMESTER: Fall 2004


CLASS SECTION NUMBER: CSENV, AP EC 426/626 (Cropping Systems Analysis) 3 cr. (2, 3)


COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Course involves application of agronomic and economic principles in solving problems relating to the production and marketing of agronomic crops. A major part of the course will be case studies in which detailed analyses of farm, agribusiness or environmental situations will be conducted with students making formal written and oral presentations of results.

TIME: Monday and Wednesday, 12:20-1:10 PM, P & AS F-150
Lab, Monday, 1:25-4:25 PM, P & AS F-150

INSTRUCTORS:

William C. Stringer
Associate Professor of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences
Room 279, Poole Agricultural Center
Office Phone: 656-3527
Office hours: 10:00-4:30 TTH, 1:30-4:30 WF

Stephen E. Miller
Professor of Applied Economics & Statistics
Room 291 Barre Hall
Office phone: 656-5786
Office hours: 9:00-11:00 MWF

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

No textbooks required; there will be materials passed out for reference during the semester.

OBJECTIVES OF COURSE:

1. To provide students with multi-disciplinary perspectives on timely issues confronting the production/marketing systems of agronomic crops.

2. To provide students perspectives into developing emerging opportunities into profitable enterprises

3. To give students a knowledge of the fundamentals affecting crop profitability, including production, marketing, and environmental factors.

4. To provide students an opportunity to conduct case studies of real farm, agribusiness, or environmental situations, incorporating agronomic and economic principles in a problem-solving format.

5. To promote student skills in preparing oral and written presentations of case study results.

EVALUATION:

Item

% of final grade*
Undergraduate    Graduate
Assignments/ Progress reports 

 25

 20
Preliminary Oral Report
15
 15
Preliminary written report

 15

 15
Final oral report

 20

 20
Final written report

 25

 20
Term Paper/oral report

 --

 10
 Total

 100

 100

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Regular attendance at all lectures and laboratory sessions is expected, unless consent of instructors has been obtained. Unless the class has been notified in advance, instructors will be present for all regularly-scheduled class meetings.

PREREQUISITES:

AGRIC 104, Introduction to Plant Sciences
AP EC 202, Introduction to Agricultural Economics
Junior or Senior standing

GRADUATE STUDENTS:

All graduate students are required to prepare a term paper or oral presentation with printed abstract on a topic related to either of the case studies and mutually agreeable with course instructors. The grade will account for 15% of final grade for the course. 

 
WK
DATE
 LECTURE LAB ASSIGNMENT
1 Aug. 18 (W) Introduction to course and Case Study issue --------  
2 Aug. 23 (M) Field trip to see various native species of interst-Stringer Field Trip  
  Aug. 25 (W) Important issues in native plant seed use - Stringer ----------  
3 Aug 30 (M) Seed certification and seed industry- Mike Watkins (continued)  
  Sept. 1 (W) TBA -------  
4 Sept. 6 (M) Native plant use in landscaping - Rick Huffman (continued) Each team turns in a written plan for its project--title, justification, subject matter to be researched, who will do what
  Sept. 8 (W) TBA ---------  
5 Sept. 13 (M) Field trip to US Forest Service native grass plantings - Dennis Law, USFS (continued) Written progress reports due (team and individual)
  Sept. 15 (W) DOT roadside planting programs - K.J. Swygert (SCDOT) ----------  
6 Sept. 20 (M) Native plants in wildlife plantings - Skip Still (SCDNR) ) (continued)  
  Sept. 22 (W) USDA-NRCS use of native grasses - Mike Hall (NRCS) --------  
7 Sept 27 (M) A potentially interested producer with questions - John Sitton (continued) Written progress reports due (team and individual)
  Sept 29 (W) Work on presentations and reports ---------  
8 Oct. 4 (M) Presentation pointers - Kirby Player (continued)  
  Oct. 6 (W) Work on presentations and reports ----------  
9 Oct. 11 (M) Preliminary oral presentations. Guests will be present for analysis and feedback (continued) Written preliminary reports due (team)
  Oct. 13 (W) Critique of preliminary oral reports    
10 Oct. 18 (M) TBA    
  Oct. 20 (W) TBA   Written peer reviews due (individual)
11 Oct. 25 (M) TBA (continued)  
  Oct. 297(W) TBA   Written progress reports due (team and individual)
12 Nov. 1 (M) FALL BREAK    
  Nov. 3 (W) TBA ---------- Written progress reports due (team and individual)
13 Nov. 8 (M) TBA (continued)  
  Nov. 10 (W) TBA ------------  
14 Nov. 15 (M) Oral presentations. Guests will be present for analysis and feedback. (continued)  
  Nov. 17(W) Critique of oral reports    
15 Nov. 22 (M) TBA (continued) Written reports due(team)
  Nov. 24 (W) Thanksgiving Break    
16 Nov 29 (M) TBA    
  Dec. 1 (W) TBA - last class    
17 Dec. 6 (M) Final exam period (1:00-4:00 p.m.)   Final written reports (team) and written peer reviews (individual) due.

 

This syllabus is preliminary and is subject to change. The syllabus distributed in class is the official version.

Fall 2004 Course List       AE & S Home

copyright 2004 by Stephen E. Miller, Department of Applied Economics & Statistics , and William C. Stringer, Department of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

updated 10/12/04