Economic Aspects of the Marketing and Production of Safflower and Safflower Products

Authors

Barry Wright Bobst, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Document Type

Thesis

Date of this Version

5-1961

Citation

Thesis (M.S.)—University of Nebraska—Lincoln, 1961. Department of Agricultural Economics.

Comments

Copyright 1961, the author. Used by permission.

Abstract

The problem to which this study will address itself is the economic adaptation of safflower as a replacement crop in the western Great Plains. There are two facets to this problem. One is to determine the present status of safflower as a replacement crop under present conditions of limited production in localized areas of the region. The other is to determine the potential status of safflower as a replacement crop if production were expanded to utilize most of the resources restricted from wheat production in areas throughout the western Great Plains. A secondary problem is to determine the nature of the demand with an expanded production of safflower.

Specific objectives of the study are as follows:

1. Review briefly the development of safflower as a crop in the United States.

2. Describe the various uses to which safflower products are put. This will include the various edible and drying oil uses for safflower oil and the use of safflower oil meal as a livestock feed.

3. Determine the nature of the demand and price structure for safflower products with present safflower production and that which would occur with an expanded safflower production.

4. Determine the present status of safflower as an alternative replacement crop in localized areas of production in the western Great Plains.

5. Determine the potential status of safflower as a replacement crop with production expanded widely in the western Great Plains.

   The procedure of this investigation is as follows: Analyses of the demand and price structure for safflower oil and safflower oil meal under the conditions of limited production have been used to determine the present status of safflower as a crop in the western Great Plains. Analyses of the demand and price structure for safflower products under the conditions of an expanded production have been applied to a consideration of the potential status of safflower as a replacement crop for the western Great Plains In each case, returns to resources from safflower production will be compared to returns forthcoming from alternative crops in order to determine if safflower is an economic crop in either or both situations.

Advisor: Clarence J. Miller