Was following links on robots in ag, and ran across a term I'd never heard of: "skid steer". Turns out it's the generic name for a type of front end loader, often called a "Bobcat", which is a particular make. Invented to help handle turkey manure, which I can well understand, having shoveled chicken manure in my youth.
Apparently they're working to robotic skidsteers, save on labor cost.
Friday, March 02, 2012
The End of the IBM Card?
Back before I retired Treasury was starting to move us all off printed paychecks to direct deposit. This process is finally ending, with moving everyone off printed checks. Back in the day, one's paycheck (and savings bonds, which are also all electronic now) were actually printed on IBM punch cards, so the data punched into the card matched the printed data (payee and amount, etc.) on the check.
I wonder whether Treasury's remaining paper checks are still printed on IBM cards? Probably not, they probably used bar-coded checks these days.
[Updated: no more IBM cards, here's the image--looks like the data is all encoded]
I wonder whether Treasury's remaining paper checks are still printed on IBM cards? Probably not, they probably used bar-coded checks these days.
[Updated: no more IBM cards, here's the image--looks like the data is all encoded]
Author of "Bureaucracy" Dies
Tyler Cowen reports James Q Wilson, the author of "Bureaucracy", though other works were more famous, has died.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Food Compass??
USDA hyped their "food compass" yesterday. I may be the only one, but the term "compass" led me to expect a visual metaphor, like the old food pyramid, but the metaphor is strictly verbal. The closest thing they have to graphics is an interactive map, which also has a pdf file to explain it.
I'd think they ought to be able to do better, more visual, more intuitive. (Of course, this is Monday morning quarterbacking by someone who has no suggestions to offer.)
I'd think they ought to be able to do better, more visual, more intuitive. (Of course, this is Monday morning quarterbacking by someone who has no suggestions to offer.)
The Market and Humane Treatment of Hens
Dirk Beauregarde reports on the effects of the new EU regulations banning battery cages: egg prices have soared, and prices for pastry and French bread have increased. The story is marred, however, by the horrible puns.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Spinning Crop Insurance
I've probably written this before, but crop insurance advocates spin their story just as well as any politician. Take this statement included in the press release noting crop insurance indemnities crossed the $10 billion mark and touting the fact that Congress didn't have to pass an ad hoc disaster program this year:
What's "it"? Extrapolate from the past policy to establish the baseline for determining what the "cut" or "reduction" is, and fail to acknowledge automatic sources of growth. In other words, the second sentence in the quote should, if the author was intellectually honest, read something like this:
"Although changes in policy have reduced Federal investment in crop insurance, during that same period, by x billion dollars, because of increased crop prices and acreages the total Federal investment has grown by y billion dollars."
See this link for another example of spinning.
"Since 2008, a total of more than $28 billion has been sent to farmers for policies theyThe same tactic is used by all supporters of federal expenditures on a totally nonpartisan basis. Conservatives who support a "strong defense" do it, liberals who support food stamps do it, President Obama does it, President Bush did it, Rep. Ryan does it, even fiscal hawks do it when it comes to their pet program, they all "do it", but Billie Holliday isn't singing about it.
purchased. Federal investment in crop insurance, during that same period, was reduced
by more than $12 billion."
What's "it"? Extrapolate from the past policy to establish the baseline for determining what the "cut" or "reduction" is, and fail to acknowledge automatic sources of growth. In other words, the second sentence in the quote should, if the author was intellectually honest, read something like this:
"Although changes in policy have reduced Federal investment in crop insurance, during that same period, by x billion dollars, because of increased crop prices and acreages the total Federal investment has grown by y billion dollars."
See this link for another example of spinning.
NASCOE Versus Crop Insurance III
For background, see prior posts here and here
What I would really like to see, though it will never happen, is a controlled test of FSA servicing crop insurance versus the companies servicing crop insurance. Choose 10 counties and have half the current insureds serviced by FSA and half by the companies. Run the test for 3 years and compare results.
Why won't it happen? Disregarding the political realities, the practical consideration is: to service crop insurance you need to develop software. To do the job right, you need the software to be integrated with FSA's existing or to-be systems. That takes time and money, which you can't justify for a limited test. (Though it's what we did with CAT insurance over a couple years. Unfortunately FSA management in DC spun its wheels for some months so the first year was pretty grim. The second year was significantly better. And then the big shots proclaimed that CAT was available through insurance agents through the whole country.)
Of course, if the result of the test were to show a big advantage for FSA (which most people who worked for FSA would like to believe) and you extrapolate that over the country and over 40 years, then it's worthwhile to do the test. But that's not how we do things in this country.
What I would really like to see, though it will never happen, is a controlled test of FSA servicing crop insurance versus the companies servicing crop insurance. Choose 10 counties and have half the current insureds serviced by FSA and half by the companies. Run the test for 3 years and compare results.
Why won't it happen? Disregarding the political realities, the practical consideration is: to service crop insurance you need to develop software. To do the job right, you need the software to be integrated with FSA's existing or to-be systems. That takes time and money, which you can't justify for a limited test. (Though it's what we did with CAT insurance over a couple years. Unfortunately FSA management in DC spun its wheels for some months so the first year was pretty grim. The second year was significantly better. And then the big shots proclaimed that CAT was available through insurance agents through the whole country.)
Of course, if the result of the test were to show a big advantage for FSA (which most people who worked for FSA would like to believe) and you extrapolate that over the country and over 40 years, then it's worthwhile to do the test. But that's not how we do things in this country.
Closing FSA Offices
Vilsack's going ahead with plans to close 131 FSA offices.
I see the Broome County, NY NRCS office is going to be closed as well.
I see the Broome County, NY NRCS office is going to be closed as well.
Crop Insurance Going On-Line?
I posted yesterday about the head of NRCS boasting about plans to put conservation work online for his customers.
I wonder, are the private crop insurance companies putting their work online? At the moment I'm too lazy to try to find out, but surely one or more of the companies is doing that?
I wonder, are the private crop insurance companies putting their work online? At the moment I'm too lazy to try to find out, but surely one or more of the companies is doing that?
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Government Geography and Palin
The Post had a piece reporting on a Gallup survey showing the location of government employees (all levels). As you'd expect, DC, MD, VA are at the top. What's surprising is, they aren't at the very top; Alaska and Hawaii are. Yes, that's right. Sarah Palin was once the governor of the state with the most government employees (percentage of total).
And states like SC, WY, NM, WV, and MS rounded out the top ten. What it is, is a reminder of how big DOD is and the difference it makes in some states.
And states like SC, WY, NM, WV, and MS rounded out the top ten. What it is, is a reminder of how big DOD is and the difference it makes in some states.
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