Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Agriculture (MAgr)

Department

Agricultural and Applied Economics

Committee Chair/Advisor

Michael Vassalos

Committee Member

Nathan Smith

Committee Member

David Willis

Abstract

In response to evolving market conditions and consumer preferences, Chapter Two of this thesis develops the first organic peach enterprise budget for South Carolina and evaluates the profitability of operating an organic peach farm within the state through Monte-Carlo simulations. Results indicate that while organic peach farming has positive cash flows after year three, the net present value for a twelve-year one-acre orchard is negative with machinery investments, while a twelve-year ten-acre orchard is positive. A twelve-year old organic peach orchard has a positive net present value without machinery investments; however, it is not as profitable as a conventional fifteen-year-old orchard.

Beyond consumer demand shifts, agricultural producers in South Carolina have experienced significant exogenous shocks from natural disasters, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. In response, SCDA allocated $38 million in federal funding to provide targeted assistance to affected farmers and forest landowners. This relief program addresses multiple categories of loss, including infrastructure damage, market disruptions, future economic losses, and timber losses.

Chapter three of this thesis discusses the calculations made for the future economic loss of peaches dependent on the remaining years of the tree’s life. It will also present future economic loss calculations for other perennials such as blueberries and pecans. The pecan example will showcase the difference in the net loss calculation when the end-of-life date is unknown and calculate economic losses based on tree maturity.

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