From pmadden@igc.apc.orgFri Feb 23 22:49:53 1996
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 12:38:17 -0800
From: Patrick Madden <pmadden@igc.apc.org>
To: gunaratn@hawaii.edu, jnovak@acenet.auburn.edu
Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu, sanet@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us
Subject: Re: Software for evaluation sustainable systems


Since the matter of software for evaluation of alternative farming methods/
systems seems to have attracted some interest, I will point to PLANETOR,
a software system at University of Minnesota, Center for Farm Financial
Management.  Contact Dick Hawkins at 612-625-1964.

This system was started by John Ikerd at University of Missouri, with a series 
of grants from what was called the LISA program.  

I have seen version 2 in operation, and it looks pretty good.  It computes
the monetary returns, monetary risks, environmental risks, energy use of
a farm described by the user.  

Patrick Madden

World Sustainable Agriculture Association


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 > From almanac-request@amani.ces.ncsu.edu  Thu Feb 22 10:58:51 1996
 > Date: Thu, 22 Feb 1996 10:15:58 -0600 (CST)
 > From: "James L. Novak" <jnovak@acenet.auburn.edu>
 > X-Sender: jnovak@aces1
 > To: Loku Dam Gunaratna <gunaratn@hawaii.edu>
 > Cc: sanet@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us, sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu,
 >         Loku Dam Gunaratna <gunaratn@hawaii.edu>
 > Subject: Re: Software for evaluation sustainable systems
 >
 >
 > Guna,
 >
 > We don't have software per se....but, you can use a spreadsheet program 
 > to construct total factor productivity measures (indexes).  Chapter 3 
 > (Rayner and Welham) of the book "Agricultural Sustainability, Economic, 
 > Environmental and Statistical Considerations" describes the ins and outs 
 > of various index measures.  In Chapter 4, we describe the results of using 
 > Divisia Indexes on Alabama's Old Rotation cotton experiment.  We did this 
 > using a lotus spreadsheet (ver 3.1).  We will be glad to send you a 
 > reprint of Chapter 4 and offer whatever assistance we can in setting up 
 > your own spreadsheet.  Problems you will run into are related to data.  
 > You need enough data and a long enough series to be of use in showing 
 > trends.  Indexes is not a regression method......  You should be able to 
 > find citations on the method of indexes in the AJAE and other ag econ 
 > journals.  
 >
 > Jim Novak, Extension Economist and Professor
 > Dept. of Ag. Economics and Rural Soc.
 > Rm. 304A Comer Hall
 > Auburn University, AL 36849
 > Phone: (334) 844-3512
 > Fax: (334) 844-5639
 > jnovak@acenet.auburn.edu
 >
 >
 >
 > On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Loku Dam Gunaratna wrote:
 >
 > > I am in search of software programs to evaluate the suatianbility of 
 > > agricultural systems. I understand sustainabilty is a broad term and 
 > > there are different ways to measure sustainbility. My major concern is 
 > > measurement of sustaianbilty in economic terms.If you folks are aware of 
 > > any such software  to evaluate sustainability, please let me know the 
 > > details. Thanks!
 > > 
 > > Guna
 > > 
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