Conserve and Profit
Aug 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Lynn Grooms
In a recent survey, 60% of approximately 2,000 farmers said they have adopted nutrient management plans, and more than half said they have fully adopted conservation tillage, nutrient management, grassed waterways and integrated pest management (IPM). Mostly from the Midwest, these respondents represent about 2.5 million acres of cropland.
“Although we are pleased that high numbers of these farmers indicate they are utilizing conservation practices, anything less than full adoption should be of concern not only to the fertilizer industry, but to the entire agriculture community,” says Ford West, president of The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). “As the public spotlight continues to shine heavily on biofuels, it's critical that producers understand the public relations and policy implications that could follow anything but outstanding environmental performance.”
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and TFI conducted the survey to better understand farmers' use of best management practices (BMP) and conservation practices. At a time of record-high commodity prices, some farmers may hesitate to adopt conservation methods.
“These are new times. We encourage farmers to look beyond this current year at the bigger picture,” says CTIC Executive Director Karen Scanlon. “A comprehensive system of conservation practices will not only help to maintain valuable resources, but also build soil quality and manage inputs.”
Although farmers are getting high prices for commodities, they also are paying high input costs, Scanlon says. Conservation practices, she says, can help farmers apply inputs at the right time and in the right way to save on fuel and fertilizer costs.
Farmers also see that good conservation practices last over the long term, Scanlon says. “Farmers who have no-tilled for years aren't going back to their old practices,” she states. “They don't want to compromise the organic matter that they've built up by reverting back to tillage.”
The survey did reveal that some producers are not choosing conservation practices. Scanlon says the most common reason that farmers give for not adopting conservation practices is an economic one.
Some growers have concerns about the cost of specialized equipment or soil testing. Others are worried that conservation practices will lower crop yields.
Farmers need to pencil out the economics over time, Scanlon says, noting that organizations like CTIC can help farmers understand the economics of transitioning from conventional tillage to no-till, for example, and see the financial picture from year to year. CTIC focuses on an entire system (not just no-till, for example, but nutrient management, cover crops, IPM, buffers and so on).
Cost sharing
The survey respondents prefer financial assistance over technical assistance when it comes to implementing buffers, water and sediment control, and other conservation measures.
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