1995-1996 Undergraduate Catalog

Course Descriptions - Agricultural Economics		 NMSU
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AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
AG E 100. Introductory Agricultural Economics and Business (f,s) 3 cr.
Orientation to agricultural supply businesses, farm and ranch production, food markets, food processing and distribution, and food consumption. Microeconomic principles for managers.
AG E 111. Orientation 1 cr.
Orientation to university life, including available resources and methods to promote success at NMSU. General exposure to fields in agriculture and home economics. Open to all freshmen and transfer students. Graded S/U.
AG E 200. Special Topics 1-4 cr.
Specific subjects and credits to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Maximum of 4 credits per semester. No more than 9 credits toward a degree.
AG E 236. Agribusiness Management Principles 3 cr.
Description and application of management and financial principles, market planning, and organization theory in small business situations.
AG E 250G. Life with Microcomputers 3 cr. (2+2P)
Provides appreciation of the microcomputer in all areas of life. Applications to informational analysis in a wide variety of social, business, technological, and research situations are presented using DOS and utilities, word processing, electronic spreadsheets, and database systems. Emphasis is on fundamental understanding of how to apply software. Place of the computer in the "larger picture" is emphasized.
AG E 260. Farm and Ranch Records (s) 3 cr. (2+2P)
Purpose and methods of keeping and analyzing farm and ranch records. Net worth and income statements, efficiency measures, analysis of the business, and tax computations.
AG E 300. Special Topics 1-4 cr.
Specific subjects and credits to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Maximum of 4 credits per semester. No more than 9 credits toward a degree.
AG E 305. Marketing and Pricing Agricultural Products (f,s) 3 cr.
Description of agricultural processes and functions; food production and consumption patterns; agricultural product prices; nature of competition in agricultural product markets; commodity markets. Prerequisites: ECON 201 or ECON 252. Same as MKTG 305.
AG E 310. Agricultural Commodity Futures Markets (f) 3 cr.
Emphasis on agricultural commodities. Principles of hedging, speculation, technical and fundamental price analysis, hedging strategies, and the details of how the markets function. Simulated computer trading game.
AG E 311. Financial Futures Markets (f,s) 3 cr.
Emphasis on financial instruments, currencies, and stock index futures. Principles of hedging, arbitrage, speculation, technical and fundamental price analysis, and trading strategies. Simulated computer trading game. Same as FIN 311.
AG E 315G. World Agriculture and Food Problems (s) 3 cr.
Survey of food and agricultural issues in the U.S. and other countries. Covers: role of agriculture in economic development; trade in food and agricultural products; global food production, consumption, and marketing patterns; economics of technical change and food assistance; agriculture and the environment. Same as GEOG 315G.
AG E 337. Natural Resource Economics (f) 3 cr.
Introduction to the economic concepts and methods used in defining and analyzing natural resource and environmental quality problems. Applications to land use management and planning the use and conservation of land, water, and wildlife resources. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or 251. Same as ECON 337.
AG E 355. Community Economic Development 1-3 cr.
Same as PLAN 355.
AG E 360. Farm Management (f) 3 cr. (2+2P)
Farming and ranching as a business, with emphasis on factors affecting profits and the efficient use of agricultural resources; types of farming, choice of enterprises, effect of size, efficiency in the use of labor and machinery. Prerequisites: AG E 260 or a course in accounting and ECON 201 or ECON 252.
AG E 380. Agricultural Economics Survey (s) 3 cr.
Survey of businesses and industries involved with agriculture, farming and ranching, environmental and resource concerns. Field trip over spring break. Prerequisite: junior or above standing. Variable fee. Graded S/U.
AG E 400. Seminar (f,s) 1 cr.
Current topics in agricultural economics with emphasis on career opportunities and job search skills. Prerequisite: junior or above standing. Graded S/U.
AG E 420. Special Problems (f,s) 1-3 cr.
Special problems in agricultural economics or agricultural business of particular interest to the individual student. Maximum of 3 credits per semester. No more then 6 credits toward degree.
AG E 425. Agribusiness Financial Management (f) 3 cr.
Description and application of techniques and principles of financial management to problem situations faced by small businesses, including capital budgeting, sources and costs of capital, controlling the use of assets, tax management, estate planning, and credit institutions. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or ECON 252.
AG E 437. Resource Economics for Engineers and Planners (s) 3 cr.
Introduction to terminology and methodologies used in economic analysis of issues related to planning and management of natural resources. Emphasis is on use of nonmarket valuation techniques and benefit/cost analysis and related methods used to evaluate investment opportunities and public sector expenditures. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or 251. Same as ECON 437.
AG E 440. Ranch Economics (s) 3 cr.
Economic principles related to western ranch business. Business management, economic characteristics of ranches, ranch land problems and values, and economics of rangeland use. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or ECON 252.
AG E 445G. Agricultural Policy 3 cr.
Historical and cultural background of food and agricultural policy in the United States. Analysis of food and agricultural problems, policy- making and implementation. Economic evaluation of specific U.S. food and agricultural policy instruments, their domestic and international impacts. Prerequisites: ECON 251G and ECON 252G.
AG E 450. Advanced Microcomputer Applications 3 cr. (2+2P)
Emphasis on computerized management concepts, capital budgeting, coordinated financial statements, statistical analysis, and interfacing of computerized accounting records to spreadsheets. Prerequisite: AG E 250G or consent of instructor.
AG E 451. Food Marketing Systems (s) 3 cr.
A systems approach to marketing with focus on various food industry sectors. Firm, industry, and macroeconomic factors are considered to provide a broad-based marketing management orientation. Prerequisites: ECON 201 or ECON 252, AG E 305 or MKTG 303. Same as MKTG 451.
AG E 456. Advanced Agribusiness Management (s) 3 cr.
Business planning, policy formulation, and administration for small and agricultural businesses. Prerequisites: AG E 250 or BCS 337, ACCT 201, one course in marketing, one course in finance, or consent of instructor. Same as MGT 456.
AG E 460. Advanced Farm and Ranch Management (s) 3 cr.
An integrated financial, marketing, and management approach to planning for a commercial farm or ranch business. Prerequisites: AG E 305, AG E 360, and AG E 425.
AG E 470. Rural Appraisal (f,s) 3 cr. (2+2P)
Factors affecting land prices, commercial and federal appraisal, procedures used in valuation, field trips for practice in making rural appraisals. Prerequisite: junior or above standing. Same as FIN 470.
AG E 485. Production Economics (f) 3 cr.
Economic principles of agricultural production with practical application in describing, analyzing, and predicting production relationships in agriculture. Adaptation of farm businesses to uncertainty, problems of resource valuation, conservation, and tenure, location of agricultural production. Prerequisite: ECON 252.
AG E 490. Resource Communications 4 cr.
Work with professionals in developing communication products relating to resource issues. Sections in video, publications, and media relations. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
AG E 491. Linear Programming Methods (s) 1 cr.
Methods, techniques, and uses of linear and quadratic programming applications in agricultural economics.
AG E 492. Decision Theory (s) 1 cr.
Application of modern decision theory to problems of farm and ranch planning under risk.
AG E 493. Input-Output Analysis (f) 1 cr.
Structure and application of input-output models is emphasized with orientation toward regional and macroeconomic analysis. Data requirements, basic model building, interpretation and validation of results.
AG E 494. Benefit-Cost Analysis (s) 1 cr.
Methods, techniques and uses of benefit-cost analysis with applications to private and public agricultural and natural resource investment decisions.
AG E 495. Regional Economics (f) 3 cr.
Use of input-output analysis and related analytic techniques used in the analysis of regional economic systems. Factors influencing the development, growth, and economic vitality of regional economic systems are examined and incorporated into practical, case study exercises. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or 251. Same as ECON 495.
AG E 497. Water Resource Economics (f) 3 cr.
Economic evaluation of current and emerging issues in water resources. Case studies are examined utilizing current economic methodology, analytic techniques, institutional considerations and policy issues. Some familiarity with microcomputers and spread sheet applications is essential. Prerequisite: ECON 201 or 251. Same as ECON 497.

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Last modified: Sun Feb 4 16:46:31 1996
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