It is not uncommon for new and non-traditional cropland inputs to enter the U.S. market every year. Additionally, fungicides and insecticides are being applied to cropland by some to intensify the management of diseases and insects. While these products claim improved yields and profits, economic analysis is important by today’s crop production managers. Dr. Seth Naeve, Soybean Agronomist, University of Minnesota Extension , says, “Don’t waste dollars needlessly. Additional products, treatments, coatings and enhancers commonly sold to farmers only rarely increase yields.”
While a maximum yield per acre is the goal for many, maximum profit per acre will keep farms efficiently using business capital. Dr. Greg Schwab, Extension Soil Management Specialist, University of Kentucky , says “it makes little sense or cents to use a product that has little chance to increase profitability.”
When considering the use of non-traditional products or non-traditional applications of a traditional product to cropland, consider these tips:
- Study the performance data offered about the product or application. Is the whole data set being shared or just a few selected results? Is the data local or from a comparable region? Did the data come from a statistically validated research design that includes replication and randomization of treatments and non-treated control?
- Consider all the costs of the input. (ex: material, application, wheel tracks, labor and management, interest on money used to buy the product and application).
- Conduct your own valid on-farm research on limited acres.
- Contact your local university extension office for available university data and assistance with on-farm research plots and analysis.
The increased revenue, if one occurs as a result of the input, must cover all additional costs incurred plus leave a reasonable return to labor and management. If the salesperson claims “you’ll at least get your money back,” that should be a clear and early warning not to expect a return to labor and management.
Before a farm manager considers additional inputs in an attempt to improve farm profits, the following are areas to first improve efficient use of farm resources.
- Manage soil pH within the appropriate range
- Invest in soil drainage where it limits yield, either subsurface or surface drainage.
- Select and take advantage of disease resistant varieties.
- Eliminate duplicative treatments. Example: insect control from seed treatments, crop transgenic traits and foliar applications.
- Control weeds early in the growing season; even if they can be killed when they’re big.
- Keep P & K soil test levels in maintenance range.
- Use Integrated Pest Management approach (scouting, know action thresholds, taking effective action)
Farm managers can explore a searchable database on hundreds of new, non-traditional products. The database was developed by university agronomists in the North Central Region. It can be accessed at http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/compendium/. Ohio State University Extension Agronomic Crops team also publishes annual on-farm research reports at: http://agcrops.osu.edu/