105. Introduction to Agricultural Economics. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Characteristics of our economic system and basic economic concepts; survey of the farm and ranch firm and its organization and management; structure and operation of the marketing system; functional and institutional aspects of agricultural finance; government farm programs. Prerequisite: Freshman or sophomore or junior classification.

217. Fundamentals of Agricultural Economics Analysis. (1-4). Credit 3. I, II

Relates contemporary agribusiness issues to economic and financial management concepts, principles, and tools, illustrating and enhancing their integration toward pragmatic applications in the agricultural industry; lab focuses on the integration of mathematics and economics with computer skills, with particular attention directed toward spreadsheets, databases, web pages, and communications software. Prerequisites: AGEC 105; MATH 141; MATH 142; and sophomore or junior agricultural economics or agribusiness majors; or approval of department head.

285. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Directed study of selected problems in agricultural economics. Prerequisites: AGEC 105; freshman or sophomore classification in agricultural economics, agribusiness, or approval of instructor and department head; 2.5 GPR in major, overall, and CBK courses, if applicable.

289. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Selected topics in an identified area of agricultural economics. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification and approval of department head.

314. Marketing Agricultural and Food Products. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

General introductory course covering operations involved in movement of agricultural commodities from farmer to consumer, essential marketing functions of buying, selling, transportation, storage, financing, standardization, pricing, and risk bearing. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

315. Food and Agricultural Sales. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Principles of professional sales techniques used in food and agricultural firms; develop a professional sales presentation; study current agribusiness industry professional salespersons. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.

317. Economic Analysis for Agribusiness Management. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Quantitative methods used to address managerial problems, specifically calculus-based optimization, marginal analysis, elasticities, statistical and forecasting techniques, linear programming, and risk analysis; emphasis on theoretical aspects and applied analysis of managerial problems faced by agricultural firms. Prerequisites: MATH 142; AGEC 217; ECON 323 or 322; STAT 303 or 302 or 301 or INFO 303; and junior or senior classification; agricultural economics and agribusiness majors only.

325. Principles of Farm and Ranch Management. (2-2). Credit 3. II

Agribusiness managerial decision making and analysis in different market environments; emphasis is on profit maximization; lab focuses on using computerized methods for evaluating management alternatives for farming and ranching problem situations. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or ECON 202; junior or senior non-agricultural economics and non-agribusiness majors only; and knowledge of Excel.

330. Financial Management in Agriculture. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Principles of financial management of farms, ranches, livestock operations, and other agribusiness firms; financial statement analysis, investment analysis, firm growth, risk management, cost of capital, income taxes, business organization, estate planning, legal aspects of borrowing, and sources and terms of agricultural loans. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; ACCT 209 or 229; and junior or senior classification.

340. Agribusiness Management. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Systematic analysis of agribusiness firm-level decision making using a broad array of management concepts, managing agribusiness firms and their unique problems and opportunities, and exposure to decision making in agribusiness environment. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

344. Food and Agricultural Law. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Legal problems relevant to agribusiness; torts, fencing laws, liability for agricultural pollution, irrigation water rights, corporations and partnerships. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

350. Environmental and Natural Resource Economics. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Inspection of issues such as environmental degradation, population growth, recycling, water use and depletion, natural habitat protection, water and air pollution, acid deposition, fishery management, and global warming; using economically-derived principles and tools. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.

400. Field Studies in Agricultural Economics. Credit 1 to 2. II

Arranged during spring break or between semesters; field trip to observe operations of agricultural business firms, state and federal agencies and farms and ranches; test on field studies required; additional expenses to be borne by students. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

413. Agricultural Cooperatives. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Historical development and principles of cooperative associations in our economic system; organizational and operational aspects of cooperatives; legal considerations, financing, management, and member relations; and future role of cooperatives. Prerequisites: AGEC 105; AGEC 314; and junior or senior classification.

414. Agribusiness and Food Market Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Application of economic and marketing principles to contemporary food and agribusiness marketing; practical marketing management for agribusiness firms; market analysis; and marketing strategy and planning as related to the emerging trends in the global food and agribusiness sector of the economy. Prerequisites: AGEC 317; FINC 341; MKTG 321; and junior or senior agribusiness majors only.

422. Land Economics. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Economic, institutional, and physical factors involved in the use and control of natural resources; includes elements of introductory land economics as a discipline, economic foundations of land economics, institutional influences on land use, and the effects of public policy on land use. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours economics; and junior or senior classification.

424. Rural Entrepreneurship I. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Strategic planning regarding economic and financial feasibility of rural business ventures; emphasis on processes for developing a comprehensive enterprise analysis; including management information system components; production, marketing, and financial plans; enterprise budget(s); and evaluation of risk management alternatives; and exchanges with "real-world" lenders, entrepreneurs, and other agribusiness management personnel. Prerequisites: AGEC 217; AGEC 317; AGEC 330; and junior or senior classification; or approval of instructor.

425. Rural Entrepreneurship II. (2-2). Credit 3. II

Strategic planning regarding feasibility of rural business ventures; emphasis on processes for developing comprehensive economic and financial prospectuses, including enterprise budgets, risk management planning, cash flow budgeting, net worth statements, income budgets, reconciliation statements and shock analysis; and exchanges with "real-world" lenders, entrepreneurs, and other agribusiness management personnel. Prerequisites: AGEC 424; and junior or senior classification.

429. Agricultural Policy. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Analysis of the causes, nature, and effects of government participation in agriculture; and interrelationship of the American agriculture and agribusiness sector with the political and economic system, public administration, and interest group representation. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

430. Macroeconomics of Agriculture. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Physical and financial linkages between agriculture and the rest of the economy; agriculture's importance to the economy; the determinants of aggregate supply of agricultural products; the organization and performance of financial intermediaries serving agriculture; and the differential effects of national economic policies on agriculture. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; AGEC 429; and junior or senior classification.

431. Cases in Agribusiness Finance. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Financial management of agribusiness firms; advanced topics in financial statement analysis, liquidity management, investment analysis, and capital structure illustrated through examination of agribusiness cases. Prerequisites: AGEC 317; AGEC 340; FINC 341; and junior or senior agribusiness majors only.

432. Rural Real Estate and Financial Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Advanced topics in investment analysis; financial intermediation in agriculture; real estate markets and market analysis; and appraisal valuation. Prerequisites: AGEC 330; AGEC 422; ACCT 210 or 230; and junior or senior classification.

440. Agribusiness Strategic Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Economic features of the agribusiness system and related management problems; problem recognition and economic decision making in marketing, production, and finance for agribusiness firms. Prerequisites: AGEC 317; AGEC 340; FINC 341; MGMT 363; MKTG 321; and junior or senior agribusiness majors only.

447. Food and Agricultural Price Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Factors influencing the level of food and agricultural prices; price trends and seasonal variation; methods of forecasting demands and prices; and futures trading. Prerequisites: AGEC 314; AGEC 317; and junior or senior classification.

448. Agricultural Commodity Futures. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Activities of commodity futures exchanges; the mechanics of trading futures contracts; the use of futures trading for hedging and forward pricing; and options, basis behavior, and hedging strategies for selected commodities. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; AGEC 314; AGEC 317; and junior or senior classification; or approval of department head.

452. International Trade and Agriculture. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Changing role of U.S. agriculture in a dynamic world economy; national and international policies and institutions affecting agriculture; and exchange rates, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

453. International Agribusiness Marketing. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Basic competencies in international marketing of agri-foods; and market entry, pricing, payment, finance, and promotion. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.

481. Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1. I, II

Role of social scientists in the agricultural industry; professional opportunities and responsibilities; individual investigations and reports; and discussions with prominent leaders in the field. Prerequisites: AGEC 217; junior or senior classification; and agricultural economics or agribusiness majors only.

484. Internship. Credit 1 to 3. I, II, S

Supervised experience program conducted in the area of the student's interest in agricultural economics and agribusiness. May be taken two times. Prerequisite: See an academic advisor in Room 331 Blocker.

485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 3 each semester. I, II, S

Special problems not covered by other courses. Content will depend upon problem studied. Prerequisite: See an academic advisor in Room 331 Blocker.

489. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Selected topics in an identified area of agricultural economics. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; or approval of department head.