A Computer Model for Analysis of Alternative Burley Tobacco Harvesting Practice

Introduction Agricultural operations and practices have been the subject of many computer models and simulations. Holtman et al. (1970) developed a corn harvesting simulator, and Morey et al. (1971) used simulation techniques to analyze net profit of a corn harvesting and handling system during a particular weather year. Further, Loewer et al. (1977) advanced a model that assessed alternative beef production strategies for the individual farm with land, energy and capital as constraints. Bridges et al., (1979) developed a design simulation oriented toward the individual producer that examines corn harvesting systems and compares them regarding investment and annual cost. The CATCH (Computer Analysis of Tobacco Cutting and Housing) simulation model (Bridges et al., 1980) was written to apply similar principles to the analysis of burley tobacco systems. When the original CATCH model was developed, most burley tobacco was harvested by conventional methods which required little machine input and a substantial amount of labor. With the development of several alternative practices that can be used for harvesting and housing burley tobacco, the burley producer is now faced with several management decisions. If labor is a constraint, which system alternatives are best suited to work within the producer’s labor force? At what point does a harvester system become economically feasible if lack of available workers causes the value of labor to increase dramatically? Consideration should be given to the amount of investment capital the producer is willing to spend and the type of curing facility desired. To incorporate these considerations and provide individual producers with management information for given production situations, a revised computer model named CATCH22 has been developed and includes the latest alternative systems. This report provides a description of the model’s capabilities and the management information it provides.