Cow-calf producers need to blame exchange rates, not bovine spongiform encephalopathy, for lost wealth.

Several studies examined the impacts of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis on the Canadian agricultural sector. However, few investigations determined the on-farm financial repercussions arising from the crisis. This study examined impacts at farm level attributed to the BSE crisis.

The on-ranch economics of riparian zone cattle grazing management.

A simulation model of a cattle ranch based in southern Alberta, Canada was developed to evaluate the on-ranch economics of adopting different grazing management strategies to improve riparian grazing capacity in natural grass rangeland. Under low-cost scenarios, there are positive economic incentives to adopt strategies to maintain riparian zones that already have high grazing capacity. However, riparian zones that have declined to moderate or low grazing capacity may require additional economic incentives to encourage ranches to adopt more costly management strategies to improve the grazing capacity.