Impact of Ownership Structure on the Performance of China’s Feed Mill Sector, April 2005

In the decade of the 1990s, China’s feed sector became increasingly privatized, more feed mills opened, and the scale of operation expanded. Capacity utilization remained low and multi-ministerial supervision was still prevalent, but the feed mill sector showed a positive performance overall, posting a growth rate of 11 percent per year. Profit margin over sales was within allowable rates set by the government of China at 3 to 5 percent. Financial efficiency improved, with a 20 percent quicker turnover of working capital. Average technical efficiency was 0.805, as more efficient feed mills increasingly gained production shares. This study finds evidence that the increasing privatization explains the improved performance of the commercial feed mill sector. The drivers that shaped the feed mill sector in the 1990s have changed with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. With the new policy regime in place, the study foresees that, assuming an adequate supply of soy meal and an excess capacity in the feed mill sector, it is likely that China will allow corn imports up to the tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 7.2 mmt since the in-quota rate is very low at 1 percent. However, when the TRQ is exceeded, the import duty jumps to a prohibitive out-quota rate of 65 percent. With an import duty for meat of only 10 to 12 percent, China would have a strong incentive to import meat products directly rather than bringing in expensive corn to produce meat domestically. This would be further reinforced if structural transformation in the swine sector would narrow the cost differential between domestic and imported pork.

Multilateral Trade and Agricultural Policy Reforms in Sugar Markets, September 2005

We analyze the impact of trade liberalization, removal of production subsidies, and elimination of consumption distortions in world sugar markets using a partial-equilibrium international sugar model calibrated on 2002 market data and current policies. The removal of trade distortions alone induces a 27% price increase while the removal of all trade and production distortions induces a 48% increase by 2011/12 relative to the baseline. Aggregate trade expands moderately, but location of production and trade patterns change substantially. Protectionist OECD countries (the EU, Japan, the US) experience an import expansion or export reduction and significant contraction in production in unfettered markets. Competitive producers in both OECD countries (Australia) and non-OECD countries (Brazil, Cuba), and even some protected producers (Indonesia, Turkey), expand production when all distortions are removed. Consumption distortions have marginal impacts on world markets and location of production. We discuss the significance of these results in the context of mounting pressures to increase market access in highly protected OECD countries and the impact on non-OECD countries.

Iowa Substance Abuse Brief; Alcohol: Binge Drinking, May 2009, Issue 2

Binge drinking by Iowans is a serious problem. Binge drinking is commonly defined as five or more drinks of alcohol on the same occasion for men and four or more for women. The 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimated that 11% (approximately 28,000) of Iowans 12-17 years of age and 51% (approximately 177,000) of Iowans ages 18-25 had engaged in binge drinking during the past month. Favorable community and peer norms about alcohol use and easy access both contribute to this problem. Consequences of binge drinking can be immediate, like alcohol poisoning or injury, or much more delayed such as an increased risk for stroke or alcoholism. In either case the results can be severe.

Iowa Substance Abuse Brief; Alcohol: Underage Drinking, September 2009, Issue 1

IN BRIEF • More than one in three 11th graders drank alcohol in the past month. • For every four 11th graders in Iowa, one engaged in binge drinking in the past month. • Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks for females and five or more for males on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least one day in the past 30 days. • A drink refers to one half ounce of alcohol (one 12-oz beer, one 5-oz glass of wine, or one 1-oz shot of 100 proof distilled spirits).

An Evaluation of the Roto-Mill Profiler on Concrete Pavements in Iowa, MLR-76-1, 1976

A new machine, the ROTO-MILL Profiler, became available in early 1976. This machine, manufactured by CMI Corporation of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma provides pavement surface Scarification at a much higher production rate than was previously possible. Iowa had the opportunity to observe and evaluate this machine on two separate sections of primary portland cement concrete pavement in October, 1976. The marked improvement in the profile index and the skid resistance indicates this machine may be considered a viable method for improving rideability and skid resistance of a roadway that is otherwise reasonably sound.

Farm scale alcohol production : the Iowa State University ethanol distillery, 1981.

This publication was prepared to describe how the Iowa State University distillery has been operating, including information on distillery size, equipment, tanks, condenser, heat exchanger, pumps and the process. Photos and diagrams are also included.

Iowa Substance Abuse Brief; Alcohol: Underage Drinking, May 2009, Issue 2

IN BRIEF • More than one in three 11th graders drank alcohol in the past month. • For every four 11th graders in Iowa, one engaged in binge drinking in the past month. • Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks for females and five or more for males on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least one day in the past 30 days. • A drink refers to one half ounce of alcohol (one 12-oz beer, one 5-oz glass of wine, or one 1-oz shot of 100 proof distilled spirits).

05008-004 Mill-Picayune (Manteno Lake) Watershed Final Report

Manteno Lake is located 8 miles northwest of Earling, IA in Shelby County. The lake has been impaired with an overload of silt and nutrients. In October of 2007, land directly north of the lake will be coming out of CRP and back into agricultural production. The Shelby Soil and Water Conservation District, Shelby County Board of Supervisors and Shelby County Conservation Board feel strongly that treatment of this area is necessary prior to the CRP contract expiring. The placement and construction of three structures will reduce the amount of silt and nutrients affecting Manteno Lake. This project calls for the construction of three structures on crucial tributaries to the lake.

Alcohol Facts, June 14, 2012

Facts about Alcohol use in Iowa produced by Office of Drug Control Policy.