This thesis deals with cost of production for cellulosic energy crops of switchgrass, miscanthus, and energy sorghum. The first chapter explains the rationale for development of decision support software called Energy Crop Analysis & Planning (ENCAP) and Switchgrass Harvest Date, Yield, Nutrient Removal Estimator (SHYNE). The second chapter examines harvest date implications on yield, nutrient removal, opportunity cost of modified sale dates, and post-harvest storage losses. This harvest date analysis leads to a profit maximizing harvest date from the perspective of the producer. While this harvest date may be optimal for the producer, biorefineries may be interested in sourcing switchgrass earlier and later than that profit-maximizing harvest date. Hence price premia that need to be paid to the producer for alternative harvest dates are calculated. The final chapter provides a brief summary, limitations and offers area for future research.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis deals with cost of production for cellulosic energy crops of switchgrass, miscanthus, and energy sorghum. The first chapter explains the rationale for development of decision support software called Energy Crop Analysis & Planning (ENCAP) and Switchgrass Harvest Date, Yield, Nutrient Removal Estimator (SHYNE). The second chapter examines harvest date implications on yield, nutrient removal, opportunity cost of modified sale dates, and post-harvest storage losses. This harvest date analysis leads to a profit maximizing harvest date from the perspective of the producer. While this harvest date may be optimal for the producer, biorefineries may be interested in sourcing switchgrass earlier and later than that profit-maximizing harvest date. Hence price premia that need to be paid to the producer for alternative harvest dates are calculated. The final chapter provides a brief summary, limitations and offers area for future research.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cahill, Nathanial Elsworth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["West, Charles P.","Nalley, Lawton L."],"advisors":["Popp, Michael P."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:32Z","subjects":["Social sciences","Biological sciences","Harvest time","Nutrient removal","Switchgrass harvest","Agricultural Economics","Agricultural Science"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/942","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["West, Charles P.","Nalley, Lawton L."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Popp, Michael P."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cahill, Nathanial Elsworth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2013"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-11-08T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Social sciences","Biological sciences","Harvest time","Nutrient removal","Switchgrass harvest","Agricultural Economics","Agricultural Science"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/942"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis deals with cost of production for cellulosic energy crops of switchgrass, miscanthus, and energy sorghum. The first chapter explains the rationale for development of decision support software called Energy Crop Analysis & Planning (ENCAP) and Switchgrass Harvest Date, Yield, Nutrient Removal Estimator (SHYNE). The second chapter examines harvest date implications on yield, nutrient removal, opportunity cost of modified sale dates, and post-harvest storage losses. This harvest date analysis leads to a profit maximizing harvest date from the perspective of the producer. While this harvest date may be optimal for the producer, biorefineries may be interested in sourcing switchgrass earlier and later than that profit-maximizing harvest date. Hence price premia that need to be paid to the producer for alternative harvest dates are calculated. The final chapter provides a brief summary, limitations and offers area for future research.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Evaluating Economic Impacts of Switchgrass Harvest Time"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["West, Charles P.","Nalley, Lawton L."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Popp, Michael P."],"dc:creator":["Cahill, Nathanial Elsworth"],"dc:date":["2013"],"dc:date.available":["2016-11-08T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis deals with cost of production for cellulosic energy crops of switchgrass, miscanthus, and energy sorghum. The first chapter explains the rationale for development of decision support software called Energy Crop Analysis & Planning (ENCAP) and Switchgrass Harvest Date, Yield, Nutrient Removal Estimator (SHYNE). The second chapter examines harvest date implications on yield, nutrient removal, opportunity cost of modified sale dates, and post-harvest storage losses. This harvest date analysis leads to a profit maximizing harvest date from the perspective of the producer. While this harvest date may be optimal for the producer, biorefineries may be interested in sourcing switchgrass earlier and later than that profit-maximizing harvest date. Hence price premia that need to be paid to the producer for alternative harvest dates are calculated. The final chapter provides a brief summary, limitations and offers area for future research.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/942"],"dc:subject":["Social sciences","Biological sciences","Harvest time","Nutrient removal","Switchgrass harvest","Agricultural Economics","Agricultural Science"],"dc:title":["Evaluating Economic Impacts of Switchgrass Harvest Time"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:32Z"}