2004 ANNUAL REPORT Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Award

Transcription

1 2004 ANNUAL REPORT Missouri Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Award Project Title: Producer/Project Leader: Address/Phone: Development of a Five-Year Crop Rotation Incorporating Cover Crops and Specialty Crops J. Alan Weber 3801 Bray Court Columbia, MO aweber@marciv.com 1. Describe in detail your work activities and how you used your grant funds this year. (Use another sheet or the back of this form if necessary.) Activity in 2004 included the harvesting of a clover crop, planting & harvesting amaranth, and maintaining accurate economic & production information. As originally outlined in the proposal to MDA, the intent of the second year was to determine if grain amaranth could be grown competitively to traditional commodities and whether or not red clover could provide sufficient nitrogen. In addition, the second year of the project would be utilized to determine if the re-growth of red clover (after an initial cutting) could provide sufficient nitrogen for grain amaranth. Red clover was no-till drilled at the rate of 8 lbs/acre on September 26, No other weed control or tillage activity occurred. The recommended planting window for red clover is no later than September 15 th, therefore winter survival and nitrogen contribution of the crop is in question. Two scouting reports were made (Mar 24 th, May 16 th ). On March 24 th the clover stand ranged from virtually non-existent to more than 18 inches tall. The average height was approximately 10 inches. In areas where the stands were weak, grasses were prevalent. Overall, the quality of the clover crop can be considered as average due to some broadleaf weeds and grasses. The test field was divided into two treatments. One treatment would be harvested (baled) and later tilled and the other would be tilled for nitrogen. One clover treatment was cut on June 1 st and baled on June 3 rd. Yield was approximately 3 large round bales per acre.

2 The other treatment was double-disked on June 4 th and planted on June 5 th. The insecticide boxes of a John Deere 7000 planter were used to seed the amaranth at a seeding rate of approximately 1.5 lbs/acre. The variety was Plainsman. Emergence was highly variable and the remaining residue from the clover appeared to have a negative impact on stands. This treatment was cultivated once on June 26 th. The clover for the second treatment was tilled on June 22 nd after allowing 3 weeks of regrowth, planted on June 22 nd, and cultivated on July 19 th. Throughout the growing season, the amaranth from the second treatment was more uniform and weed pressure was less. It should be noted that no fertilizer (beyond the nitrogen supplied by the clover) and no herbicides were applied to either treatment of amaranth. Both treatments were harvested on October 31, The early planting treatment yielded 618 lbs/acre. The second treatment yielded 779 lbs/acre. These yields were obtained by stepping off 100 yards of each treatment and collecting the material from that area. This material was then cleaned and the cleaned seed was weighed. The grain amaranth was mailed to a buyer in Chicago, IL. The buyer indicated the amaranth would need additional cleaning, but the quality was acceptable. The purchase price for #1 amaranth in 2004 was 40 /pound. Although the test strips for the two treatments yielded between 618 and 779 lbs/acre, the overall field did not due to excessive foxtail and poor stands in other areas of the field. It should also be noted that shattering did result from a heavy rain prior to harvest and the yield potential of amaranth should have been better in Corn was planted in the control field on April 14, Seeding population was approximately 24,000 plants per acre. The crop was sprayed once. The corn was harvested on October 16, 2004 and the approximate yield was 180 bushels/acre; significantly higher than normal yields. Overall, the corn crop in the control field was more profitable in 2004 based on overall field averages. Detailed on the following pages are the resulting yields and returns. One can see that amaranth will compete with traditional commodities (on a profit basis), however weed control can be an issue and will have a significant impact on profitability.

3 Amaranth Analysis for 2004 Estimated Operating Costs/Acre Total/Acre Fuel and Labor Operation Hours/Acre Labor Fuel No-till Drill 0.2 $2.00 $2.10 $4.10 Disk 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Disk 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Field Cultivate 0.11 $1.10 $1.16 $2.26 Crumble 0.11 $1.10 $1.16 $2.26 Plant 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Cultivate 0.2 $2.00 $2.10 $4.10 Combine $3.33 $3.50 $6.83 Materials and Services Quantity Cost/Unit Clover Seed Fertilizer Rig Rental Amaranth Seed Fertilizer Chemicals Spray Rig Rental Trucking $12.36 Repair $9.00 Management $11.00 Misc $4.00 Total Operating Costs $76.12 Estimated Ownership Costs/Acre Machinery depreciation and interest $20.50 Real estate taxes, or rent $75.00 Total Ownership Costs $95.50 Total Cost $ Total Cost per Bushel $0.28 Income from Clover Hay Sales 0 20 $0.00 Income from Grain Sales 618 $0.40 $ Government Payments 0 $0.00 Total Revenue $ Net Return above Operating Costs $ Net Return above Total Costs $75.58

4 Clover/Amaranth Analysis for 2004 Estimated Operating Costs/Acre Total/Acre Fuel and Labor Operation Hours/Acre Labor Fuel No-till Drill 0.2 $2.00 $2.10 $4.10 Clover Hay (yield 3 bales/acre - custom harvested for 1/2) Disk 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Disk 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Field Cultivate 0.11 $1.10 $1.16 $2.26 Crumble 0.11 $1.10 $1.16 $2.26 Plant 0.15 $1.50 $1.58 $3.08 Cultivate 0.2 $2.00 $2.10 $4.10 Combine $3.33 $3.50 $6.83 Materials and Services Quantity Cost/Unit Clover Seed Fertilizer Rig Rental Amaranth Seed Fertilizer Chemicals Spray Rig Rental Trucking $15.58 Repair $9.00 Management $11.00 Misc $4.00 Total Operating Costs $79.34 Estimated Ownership Costs/Acre Machinery depreciation and interest $20.50 Real estate taxes, or rent $75.00 Total Ownership Costs $95.50 Total Cost $ Total Cost per Bushel $0.22 Income from Clover Hay Sales $30.00 Income from Grain Sales 779 $0.40 $ Government Payments 0 $0.00 Total Revenue $ Net Return above Operating Costs $ Net Return above Total Costs $166.76

5 Corn Analysis for 2004 Estimated Operating Costs/Acre Total/Acre Fuel and Labor Operation Hours/Acre Labor Fuel Disk $1.67 $1.25 $2.92 Field cultivator 0.11 $1.10 $0.83 $1.93 Crumbler 0.1 $1.00 $0.75 $1.75 Plant 0.2 $2.00 $1.50 $3.50 Combine $3.33 $2.50 $5.83 Materials and Services Quantity Cost/Unit Corn Seed Fertilizer Rig Rental 5.25 Fertilizer Aatrex 4.30 Atrazine and Callisto Spray Rig Rental Trucking $18.00 Repair $9.00 Management $11.00 Misc $4.00 Total Operating Costs $ Estimated Ownership Costs/Acre Machinery depreciation and interest $20.50 Real estate taxes, or rent $75.00 Total Ownership Costs $95.50 Total Cost $ Total Cost per Bushel $1.61 Income from Grain Sales 180 $1.90 $ Government Payments 0.2 $36.00 Total Revenue $ Net Return above Operating Costs $ Net Return above Total Costs $88.87

6 2. List the results of your project and what you have learned so far. Weather conditions, similar to last year, played an important role in the results of this project. Specifically, wet & cool conditions created a perfect growing environment for the control field of corn. The wet conditions were not, however, ideal for grain amaranth. From previous experience, grain amaranth does not like wet feet. In addition, rains promoted weed growth and delayed cultivations. Based on this year s experience, grain amaranth can be grown profitably after one crop of clover has been harvested. Weed pressure from the late-planted amaranth was much less than the first crop. Since no herbicides are available, this fact was important. It is unfortunately unclear whether the early or late-planted amaranth is most profitable. Based on the yield checks, it would appear that the late-planted amaranth was superior. However, a very strong rain occurred after the early crop matured but before the late planting matured. Since yield checks were not conducted until harvest, it was not possible to calculate yield loss due to the shattering from the heavy rain. Without breeding improvements, shattering will continue to be an issue for amaranth. Additional points that can be made from the second year of the project: Weed control remains an issue with grain amaranth. If weeds can be controlled and pre-harvest shattering isn t an issue, grain amaranth can be competitive or superior to traditional crops. Producers must either use clover screens in their combine or scalp the green material out of the product immediately after harvest. Additional time (management) will be required with grain amaranth compared to traditional commodities. 3. Describe your work plan for next year. Due to the inability to plant winter rye in 2004, the following activities will occur during the third year of the project: Plant and harvest 25 acres of soybeans. Sow winter rye in late October, 2005 It is possible that the program will be modified and, if contract opportunities are available, adzuki beans for the export market may be grown in lieu of conventional soybeans to complete the project.

7 4. How did you share information from your project with other producers? (Include the number of people who attended field days or demonstrations.) What plans do you have for sharing information next year? Economic results of the second year of this project (economic returns of amaranth versus corn) were summarized and will be incorporated into future presentation by the Jefferson Institute. In addition, an update will be provided at the National Small Farm Conference in November, 2005 in Columbia, MO. Send completed report by mail or to both addresses below. Use the following subject line for reports: SADA Annual Report. For an version of the annual report form, please visit the Sustainable Agriculture website at: Joan Benjamin Dr. Sandy Rikoon Missouri Department of Agriculture c/o Sharon Naylor Sustainable Agriculture Program Rural Sociology 1616 Missouri Blvd. Room 204 Gentry Hall, UMC Jefferson City, MO Columbia, MO If you have questions or need to make major changes to your budget, please call Joan Benjamin at: (573)

8 First amaranth planting and clover prior to tillage for second planting.

9 Different planting dates.