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AgEc 101 The Business of Agriculture Instructor: Larry Van Tassell Office: Ag Sci 39A Office Phone: (208) 885-7869 Email: larryv@uidaho.edu Office Hours: Open, but encourage appointments. Web Site: http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/aers/fall09.htm Objectives: 1. To have students recognize the role of producers, input suppliers, food marketing organizations, and consumers in the U.S. agricultural economy. 2. To have students develop an understanding of how economics relates to agriculture, and how economic principles are used to analyze and solve problems in agriculture and agribusiness. 3. To help students understand the qualities and characteristics employers in agribusiness expect in prospective employees and how students can develop those qualities and characteristics during their college career. Textbook: There is no textbook available for this class. You will be provided class handouts that will cover the material you will be responsible for on the quizzes. I will hand the materials out at the beginning of each class. If you are not able to attend a class, either (1) ask a friend to pick up the handouts for you, or (2) download the handouts from the class website and go over them before the next class period. Quizzes: Twelve quizzes will be given throughout the semester. Each quiz will be given at the beginning of class and will cover material from the previous week’s lecture. No make-up quizzes will be given because we will immediately be reviewing the quiz after it is taken. Your lowest two quiz grades for the semester will be dropped. Assignments: Homework assignments will be given to further your understanding of the subject matter. Assignments handed in after the due date will have 20% deducted per day unless you have a university approved excuse and prior arrangements have been made. Thus, after five days, zero points will be given for late homework assignments. Projects: 1) You will be assigned to a small group to research and follow a commodity during the semester. Group reports will be presented to the class during the last few classes of the semester. Grades will be based on the completeness and quality of the presentation. 2) Research an agribusiness firm that you would like to work for and develop a two-page review of that firm. Due October 6. Grades: Your grade will be determined using the following pattern: Quizzes 100 points Homework 100 points Agribusiness report 50 points Commodity report 50 points Total 300 points Letter grades will be assigned as: A = 90% or greater of the total points B = 80% to 89.9% of the total points C = 70% to 79.9% of the total points D = 60% to 69.9% of the total points F = less than 60% of total points
General Rules 1. I expect academic honesty from everyone—this means turning in your own homework assignments, and no cheating on quizzes or the exam. Any indication of behavior contrary to my expectations will be referred immediately to the proper administrative authorities. 2. During lecture, I invite open discussion. However, if you wish to conduct a side conversation with someone in the class, do it outside of class. Respect the rights and opinions of others and demonstrate a professional level of courtesy. 3. Attendance is strongly encouraged and will be recorded periodically. Poor attendance will affect your grade directly through missed quizzes and late homework assignments. Lecture Topics (not necessarily in order of presentation)
What is Agribusiness?
What do Agribusiness Employers
Look for in an Employee?
How can AERS Prepare You for
Employment
How Big is Big? Structure and Size of the Agricultural Industry
How Good is Your Diet? Consumer Behavior and Demand
How Much Fertilizer Did You
Put On? Marginal Cost/Marginal Benefit
Why Don’t Dairy Producers Just
Charge more for their Milk? Supply and Demand Relationships It’s Tight in the Middle! The Firm’s Cost Structure
How Many Piggy’s Went to
Market? Agriculture Marketing
Who’s Paying the Bills? Government Farm Programs
I Never Tell a Lie. Ethics and Agriculture
Is the World Shrinking? Agricultural Trade
Home on the Range! Community Development
Disability Support Services
Reasonable Accommodations Statement:
Reasonable accommodations are
available for students who have a documented disability.
Please notify your instructor(s) during the first week of
class regarding accommodation(s) needed for the course.
All accommodations must be approved through Disability
Support Services located in the
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885-6307
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email at
<dss@uidaho.edu>
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website at <www.access.uidaho.edu> or
<www.webs.uidaho.edu/taap> Students should
present a completed and signed Accommodation Form for the current
semester from our office when requesting accommodations. If they do
not, please refer them to the Disability Support Services office (
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