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<br />years similar to those projected for Management Strategy One. Higher energy <br />prices alone could provide the incentive for more rapid adoption of new irri- <br />gation techniques. A second effect of higher energy prices is not actually <br />shown in the analysis, but would likely occur. Because imported water must <br />be pumped up much greater distances than ground water from the Ogallala, the <br />operating costs of a water import scheme would increase more rapidly than the <br />farmer1s costs for pumping ground water if energy prices increase at a higher <br />rate. <br /> <br />Export Demand <br /> <br />In 1978, more than 25 percent of U.S. farm production was exported. <br />Agricultural exports have risen at a rapid rate in the 19701s, far faster <br />than in previous years, and have become a major source of foreign exchange. <br />The historical trend in exports of major High Plains crops (wheat, grain <br />sorghum, cotton) are shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11. These figures also <br />show the projected export increases used in the NIRAP model to calculate <br />future price increases. Also shown on the graphs are extrapolations of <br />the trends in exports from historical experience in the thirty year period <br />from 1950-1979, and for the decade of the 19701s. For cotton and sorghum, <br />the projected increases from 1980 to 2020 lie between the two ranges of <br />historical experience; exports are not expected to expand as rapidly as <br />in the past decade, but will grow more rapidly than they did in the period <br />ending in 1970. Only wheat shows an increase in exports faster than <br />historical trends (there was little difference between the two historical <br />periods for wheat). <br /> <br />Export demand is critically dependent on three factors: <br /> <br />o Shortfalls in domestic production in importing countries. <br /> <br />o Effective demand from these countries, based upon growing real <br />per capita income. <br /> <br />o Foreign trade policies. <br /> <br />A-I8 <br />