AAE375: Economics of Ag Sustainability

Fields of Fuel (FoF) Lectures

Sustainable Economic Organizing Principles

  1. PROCESS (via UpCycle):

1)Values: via Nested Hierarchy

2)Principles: Franchise teams to establish Principles that embodyValues

3)Goals: Develop Goals to realize Values

4)Strategies: Develop Strategies to meet Goals

5)Tactics: Develop Tactics to execute Strategies

6)Metrics: develop Metrics to measure effectiveness of Tactics

  • “Bottom Line”is on the Bottom!!!

Manage/Design to MIN(Entropy)|MAX(UpCycle)

  • No More Zero: Scarcity Surplus
  • NeedImaginationMaterials
  • Natural & Human Processes: Human Spirit (NeedImagination||free will and creativity) as KEY Management/Design Drivers of UpCycle.
  • Materials: Biological (renewable)|Technical (non-renewable) nutrients
  1. Nested Hierarchies (Ikerd):
  • Ikerd: The Essential Economics of Sustainability Intro: Detailed summary of the Ikerd ecological economics model (PPTx, 54 slides).

  1. Principles of Sustainable Ag:
  • Applying the Principles of Sustainable Farming.pdf (pdf: 16 pp) Required
  • Building_Soils_for_Better_Crops.pdf (pdf: 300+ pp) Essential SARE report on Sustainable Ag principles/processes and management.
  • oPart 1 (Chapters 1-4, pp 3-48): Organic Matter --The Key to Health Soils. Required
  • oPart 2 (Chapters 5-7, pp. 49-78): Physical Properties and Nutrient Cycles. Required
  • oPart 3 (Chapters 9-12, 15-16, 18-19): Ecological Soil Management. Required
  • Cover Crops/Rotations: Diversification & Marketing. Optional
  1. Discrete Derivatives, Substitute/Complement, Management/Lifestyle:

AAE375 Complementarity.pptx (PPTx, 14 pp.). “Analytical”/intuitive presentation of the foundations of Sustainable Ag synergies: 2nd order lifestyle/management “discrete derivatives”  substitute/complement across space/time/form (nested hierarchies)….

Pedagogic Objectives (from the Help pdf)

  1. Cross-­cutting concepts:

1)Patterns

2)Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation

3)Systems and system models

  • Apply Essentials of Economic Sustainability to Sustainable Ag: Food versus Fuel
  • MAXIMIZE: Economic, Energy, Environmental or Sustainability (Aggregate)
  1. Scientific Practices:

1)Asking questions

2)Developing and using models

3)Analyzing and interpreting data

4)Constructing explanations

5)Engaging in argument from evidence

  • Given a “Black Box”Process Simulation (FoF): How to Proceed???
  • Values Principles GoalsStrategiesTacticsMetrics
  • What do you want to know (POSTERIORS)???
  • What is “given”(PRIORS)???
  • What else do you want/need (where want ≠need) to know to proceed???
  • Strategies/Options: feasibility, degree of certainty (real/imagined) @ cost/benefit
  • How will you acquire this knowledge???

Lesson Plan: Day 1

Spend the first day doing some introduction, short play, and experimentation - then have them come back the following period with established strategies that they can put to the test?

1)Introduction to Game

2)Discussion: Questions (via Scientific Practices above).

3)Demonstration

4)Short Play/Experimentation: Discussion

5)HOMEWORK: Assign strategies for next class

6)Discussion of Assignment

Lesson Plan: Day 2

1)Discussion of Assignment: Alternative Strategies

  • Key Assumptions and Learning
  • Key Questions and Procedures

2)Play Several Strategies.

3)Discussion:

  • What worked/Didn’t work, Why/Why Not
  • Critique: +/-, additional info, change assumptions, etc.

4)Homework: Write up the exercise based on Discussion(s).