Economics of the cotton boll weevil control in the Texas High Plains

摘要

This study analyzes the economics of the cotton boll weevil control in the Texas High Plains. It suggests that the specific economic threshold used for deciding when to control of boll weevil infestations can substantially impact farm-level profitability. The preliminary economic threshold recommendations advanced in this study are significantly different from current practice, which points to the need for further analyses. The results of the ET analyses are also used to evaluate the recently approved boll weevil eradication programs, concluding that farmers likely made an economically sound decision in approving these programs.