Part 3
ADDRESS: ESTEL (Extension Service Telecommunication System) Maryland Cooperative Extension Service University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742
=14. Farm Bureau ACRES=
The American Farm Bureau Federation has a program to provide marketing information and advice for its members. Known as Farm Bureau ACRES, this marketing information project involves several State farm bureaus. AFBF members can retrieve information from the host computers via telephone hookup and, at the same time, send messages to State computers, thereby providing a two-way daily contact between State coordinators and farmer-members. For more information, contact your county or State Farm Bureau.
=15. Firsthand=
Based on French videotex technology known as "Teletel," Firsthand is a transactional videotex system originally started by the First Bank System of Minneapolis and now available in other areas too. With this system, participants can access agribusiness bookkeeping systems; weather, commodity, and financial reports; and domestic and international news through a local telephone number. Clients can also do their shopping electronically from a catalog, and obtain commodity reports and other agribusiness information offered by other information providers. They can see their bank statements and balances, make transfers between accounts, and pay bills electronically.
ADDRESS: Videotex 220 Soo Line Bldg. Minneapolis, MN 55402
=16. Grassroots=
Grassroots is a Canadian videotex system that provides agribusiness with comprehensive, up-to-date information. It helps farmers make effective purchasing, operating, financing, and marketing decisions. It offers market information on current and future prices of all major agricultural commodities, and carries farm management programs as well. It also offers information from companies offering products and services of interest to agriculture, including material on chemicals, fertilizers, equipment, real estate, seed, feed, grain, and livestock. Material on financial services, banking, and insurance is updated daily.
ADDRESS: Infomart 164 Merton St. Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M4S 3A8
=17. Instant Update=
Instant Update is a timesharing information delivery system designed for the Professional Farmers of America. The system offers its users a variety of services and information, including electronic mail, agribusiness news and analyses, weather reports, and technical information.
ADDRESS: Instant Update Professional Farmers of America 219 Parkade Cedar Falls, IA 50613
=18. Market Data Systems, Inc.=
Market Data Systems carries information from 13 commodity exchanges for the benefit of customers. It leases terminals on which to receive the information.
ADDRESS: Market Data Systems, Inc. 3835 lamar Ave. Memphis, TN 38118
=19. NEMA (National Electronic Marketing Association, Inc.)=
NEMA offers marketing firms computerized marketing systems for many agricultural products. It is a way of linking buyers and sellers without having to first transport the products to market.
Electronic marketing enables buyers and sellers to negotiate transactions in a public market while remaining in their own offices. NEMA is developing several marketing systems for agricultural markets. NEMA was developed by Virginia Tech Extension and Research staff in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Commerce and AMS.
Through a telephone hookup to computer terminals in any location, buyers and sellers are brought together at a specific time to determine the price, on a competitive basis, for the products being offered for sale. Prospective buyers can obtain written descriptions of the products before sale time.
One pricing technique is a computerized auction process, where the computer acts as the auctioneer. During the auction, the computer drops the asking price until a bid is received, then raises the price from that point until there is only one bidder left. At the end of a sale, the highest bidders receive summaries of their purchases. The products are shipped efficiently from seller to buyer.
State Cooperative Extension Services, producers' organizations. State departments of agriculture, and other agencies have developed and implemented NEMA, as well as some other electronic marketing systems in the United States. Today computerized systems sell slaughter and feeder livestock, cotton, and shell eggs.
This system is for market agents and buyers.
ADDRESS: National Electronic Marketing Assn., Inc. P.O. Box 722 Christiansburg, VA 24073
=20. NPIRS (National Pesticide Information Retrieval System)=
NPIRS is a nationally accessible online data base containing information about all pesticides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, and indicating which are registered for use against specific pests on specific crops or sites. States can also insert information about State pesticide registrations. Purdue University is developing the system under a cooperative agreement with USDA and is managing the data base, which uses facilities provided by Martin-Marietta, Inc.
ADDRESS: National Pesticide Information Retrieval System Entomology Hall Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907
=21. Rural Ventures=
Rural Ventures offers courses and data, recommends solutions to problems of small farmers, and promotes economic efficiency in small-scale agriculture and food processing enterprises. It is a joint venture by Control Data Corporation and other groups, which started with a project in Princeton, Minnesota.
A Rural Venture project gives farmers the capability to determine the optimum selection of crops, livestock, and equipment, and offers a full range of computer-based education and training programs.
ADDRESS: Rural Ventures, Inc. 120 South LaGrande Ave. Princeton, MN 55371
=22. The Source=
The Source, a subsidiary of Reader's Digest, provides access to more than 1,200 programs and services in a variety of subject areas, including agriculture. It carries the Commodity News Service general news reports and daily price activities for major commodities. The system also supplies news and commentary on current business trends along with updated listings of stocks, bonds, commodities, and futures.
ADDRESS: The Source Source Telecomputing 1616 Anderson Road McLean, VA 22102
=23. Telplan=
Telplan is a timesharing computer service with several interactive problem-solving packages. Its agricultural programs are in the areas of farm finance and animal nutrition, and it offers family finance and human nutrition programs as well. It is operated by Michigan State University and is available nationwide.
ADDRESS: Telplan--Michigan State University Room 27 Agriculture Hall Department of Agricultural Economics Michigan State University East Lansing, Ml 48824-1039
=24. USDA Online=
USDA Online delivers news and other current information from USDA's Office of Information. Services include the following reports as they are released: (1) USDA national news releases about policy and program announcements, (2) USDA regional and State news releases about program announcements, (3) outlook and situation report summaries, (4) Crop Reporting Board reports, report highlights, and summaries, (5) Foreign Agricultural Service reports and announcements on foreign crops, world production, and trade, (6) Economic Research Service report abstracts, (7) a daily agricultural news summary called "AG a.m.," and (8) a weekly "Farm Paper Letter" for farm magazine and newspaper editors and others interested in the summary and highlights of USDA reports for the week.
Through USDA Online, users can also access COIN (see p. 24-25) and several other data bases. Another communications network available to users of USDA Online is an electronic mail service linking various offices at USDA and the State Extension Services, land-grant Universities, State Departments of Agriculture, other Federal and State agencies, and other organizations interested in agriculture.
ADDRESS: News Division, Room 404-A Office of Information U.S. Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250
=Rural Telephone Lines=
One question to consider when you are selecting a computer system to be used in a rural area is whether your telephone line is adequate for potential users in your area. You must have a private line. Line quality is also important; excessive line noise or dips and surges in power may cause the communications system to disconnect you.
In the future, farmers will be able to get information by satellite rather than through the phone, which could eventually be a cost saver for those who are far from the information source.
=Other Computer Developments at USDA=
Besides online information services, there are several other computer developments available through USDA that are of use to
farmers and ranchers. Many USDA agencies are using computers to disseminate information. Here is a partial list:
Since 1981, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has been releasing information electronically that previously had been distributed as publications through the mail.
The FAS electronic information system includes agricultural trade leads received from agricultural attaches relating to potential purchases of commodities by foreign buyers.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), in cooperation with the Extension Service, has developed two software packages to help farmers make decisions about the kind and amount of crop insurance they will need. ARCIE (All Risk Crop Insurance Evaluation) comes in "mini" and "complete" versions.
Mini-ARCIE takes individual farm data and calculates a projected cash flow under various yield conditions with and without crop insurance. It takes about 15 minutes to run.
Complete-ARCIE, which takes about an hour, analyzes risk and loss probabilities over an extended period. It prompts farmers to enter expected prices and yields, and to include historical data.
Both programs examine the insurance options available--both public and private--and show how these options compare and how they complement each other. Federal Crop Insurance is currently available on about 30 major crops nationwide.
These programs are designed to run on most microcomputer models. Your State Extension Service, State Vocational Education Office, or your local crop insurance agent may already have the programs.
For further information, including how to obtain a copy of the program, write to:
The ARCIE Project Department of Agricultural Economics 107 Agricultural Building Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77840
The =Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service= (ASCS) is planning to put small computers into all its county offices starting in 1985. They will keep lists of farmers and their acreage allotments and bases, record set-aside histories, and record and maintain the other myriad facts necessary to make the USDA farm programs work. The system will keep farm records, addresses for mailings, election registers, and records of payments. Even checks to pay farmers will be produced by the decentralized county computer systems.
The computers will also be tied into State systems and a central computer for some recordkeeping functions, and can be used for electronic mail and other communications.
One function of the new system will be to mesh FAS trade opportunity leads into the ASCS data base. This will permit a farmer or local agribusiness person to go into the ASCS office and immediately learn about trade leads reported by agricultural attaches. This program will go into operation during the mid-1980's.
The =Economic Research Service= (ERS) releases its Outlook and Situation reports through AGNET. Summaries of these are available through USDA Online.
=Learning More About Computers on the Farm=
The computer field is changing so fast that it is difficult to keep up with the changes. One way to keep current is to join a users group for your particular brand of computer, or an agricultural users group. Another way to get up-to-date information about new computer hardware and software products is to read a private newsletter. Some of these are:
AgriComp 1001 East Walnut, Suite 201 Columbia, MO 65201
Agricultural Computing Doane-Western, Inc. 8900 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63144
Agricultural Microcomputing Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology Ridgetown, Ontario CANADA NOP 2CO
Compu-Farm Alberta Agricultural Box 2000 Olds, Alberta CANADA TOM 1PO
Computer Farming Newsletter Lloyd Dinkins P.O. Box 22642 Memphis, TN 38122
Farm Computer News Successful Farming 1716 Locust Street Des Moines, IA 50336
Friendly Farm Computer Newsletter FBS Systems, Inc. P.O. Box 201 Aledo, IL 61231
=Glossary of Computer Terms=
Listed below are some of the shorthand or jargon terms in the computer field. Understanding these terms will help you discuss hardware and software systems and their operation.
=ADDRESS:= A number specifying a particular location in the computer's memory.
=BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code):= A relatively easy-to-use computer language that comes with most small and personal computer systems.
=BAUD RATE:= The speed at which information is exchanged over communications lines, generally expressed in characters per second. 300 baud is the most common rate. It is equivalent to 30 characters per second.
=BINARY:= A two-digit numbering system based on the digits 0 and 1. It is the basis for calculations on all computers, and the basis for storing and retrieving information, including alphabet characters.
=BIT:= The smallest unit of information the computer recognizes. A bit is represented by the presence or absence of an electronic pulse, 0 or 1.
=BUG:= A fault or error in a computer program.
=BYTE:= A byte is composed of several bits, and is used to represent one character--such as a letter, number, or punctuation mark. The older microcomputer systems used 8 bits per byte, but the newer ones are based on 16 or 32 bits per byte.
=CHIP:= A thin silicon wafer on which electronic components are deposited lithographically in the form of integrated circuits.
=COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language):= A high-level programing language widely used in business applications.
=COMPUTER NETWORK:= Two or more computers that are connected so they can exchange information.
=COMPUTER PROGRAM:= A collection of instructions that together direct the computer to perform a particular function.
=CP/M (Control Program for Microprocessors):= A popular operating system for small computers.
=CPU (Central Processing Unit):= The part of the computer that controls and organizes the operations of the other parts of the computer and does the calculations.
=CRT (Cathode Ray Tube):= A video screen that can be used for viewing output.
=DATA:= The information, such as numbers or letters, that are put into the computer system.
=DEBUG:= To remove the errors in a computer program.
=DIAGNOSTIC:= A program for detecting and isolating a problem or mistake in the computer system; features that allow systems or equipment to self-test for flaws.
=DISK:= A revolving plate on which data and programs are stored. Also called DISKETTE.
=DISK DRIVE:= A part of the computer system that reads and writes material on the disk. It can be part of the main hardware or a peripheral attached to the system.
=DOCUMENTATION:= 1. The instruction manual for a program (software) or piece of hardware. 2. The process of describing a computer program so others using the program can see how it works.
=DOWNTIME:= Any time a computer is not available or not working because of a machine fault or failure. Downtime includes repair delay time, repair time, and machine-spoiled work time.
=EDIT:= To change or add data to an existing document or program.
=FLOPPY DISK:= A small, flexible storage device made of magnetic material. It looks like a soft phonograph record and is usually 5ΒΌ inches or 8 inches in diameter.
=FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslation):= A computer language widely used to solve scientific and engineering problems, mainly for large commercial systems.
=GARBAGE:= Meaningless information.
=HARD COPY:= A printout on paper of information from the computer.
=HARDWARE:= All the physical parts of the computer system, including the computer itself, the input and output equipment and peripherals, and the physical disk or tape equipment. (The computer programs are software.)
=INPUT:= The data that are put into the computer, or the process of putting it in.
=INSTRUCTION:= A group of bits that designates a specific computer operation.
=INTEGRATED CIRCUIT:= An electronic circuit or combination of circuits contained on semiconductor material, or chip.
=INTERACTIVE:= A computer system that allows two-way communication between the user and the computer.
=INTERFACE:= A piece of equipment used to connect two parts of a computer system that cannot interact directly with each other.
=K (kilobyte):= A measure of computer memory capacity. Each K of information is 1,024 bytes.
=LOAD:= To put data or programs into a computer.
=MAGNETIC TAPE:= A recording device used to store programs and data. It resembles audio tape used in tape recorders.
=MEMORY:= That part of the computer that stores information. Also, the external material, such as floppy disks, hard disks, or cassette tapes that store information.
=MICROCOMPUTER:= A small computer in which the CPU is an integrated circuit deposited on a silicon chip.
=MICROPROCESSOR:= A silicon chip that is the central, controlling part of the computer.
=MINICOMPUTER:= A computer that is usually larger, more powerful, and more expensive than a microcomputer, but is smaller than a mainframe in memory and functions.
=MODEM (MODulator/ DEModulator):= A device used to attach a computer or one of its devices to a communication line, often a telephone.
=OPERATING SYSTEM:= A special group of programs which controls the overall operation of a computer system. It mediates between the hardware and the particular software program.
=OUTPUT:= The information generated by a computer.
=PERIPHERAL:= A device, such as a CRT, disk drive, or printer, used for entering or storing data into, or retrieving it from, the computer system.
=PRINTER:= An output device to print the information from a computer.
=PROGRAM:= A set of coded instructions directing a computer to perform a particular function.
=PROGRAMING LANGUAGE:= A special language of words and rules that is used to write programs so the computer can understand them.
=RAM (Random Access Memory):= The portion of the computer's memory in which data, instructions, and other information are stored temporarily. Also called read-write memory.
=ROM (Read Only Memory):= The portion of the computer's memory that contains information and instructions that are stored permanently. This memory cannot be altered or added to.
=SEMICONDUCTOR:= A material such as silicon with a conductivity between that of a metal and an insulator. It is used in the manufacture of solid-state devices such as diodes, transistors, and the complex integrated circuits that comprise computer logic circuits.
=SOFTWARE:= A general term for computer programs, procedural rules, and sometimes the documentation involved in the operation of a computer.
=SYSTEM:= The computer and all its related components, including hardware and software, that work together.
=TERMINAL:= A peripheral device through which information is entered into or extracted from the computer, usually with a keyboard and an output device such as a CRT or printer.
=TIMESHARING:= A method by which more than one person can use a computer at the same time at separate terminals.
=TURNKEY SYSTEM:= A computer system that has all hardware and software installed. Supposedly, all you have to do is turn it on.
=WORD PROCESSING:= Typing, editing, storing, and printing text with a computer.
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The mention of commercial products, services, or companies does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If additional computer services of interest to the agricultural community are available, we would be glad to consider them for inclusion in possible revisions of this bulletin.
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Transcribers Note
The title "Computor System Components" (p. 17) was changed to "Computer ...". Under COIN (p. 25) the reference to "Computer Management Network" was corrected to "Computerized ...".