Strange Creature wrote:
[snip]
Still, it would seem to me that there would be
some incentive to grow it on a wide scale if it
produced a greater yield per acre than wheat or
maize corn, for use as either animal fodder or
as food additives.
[snip]
How is amaranth generally planted, cultivated, and
harvested with farm machinery? Does the grain
generally come off with a wheat combine? How about
planting or threshing? Do the lower stalks generally
come off like wheat straw on a combine or is other
equipment needed? Are there any problems with
mechanised planting, cultivating, or harvesting
that are the basic problems with amaranth production?

How about markets? Where could a farmer sell
amaranth if he decided to produce it? Do food
additive or animal feed companies generally not
deal with amaranth? Are there amaranth futures
on any stock exchanges?

Or are there some basic factors like crop yields
or specific requirements for types of soils,
weather conditions, or growing seasons that are
a great down side to trying to grow and use
amaranth en masse?

Amaranth is grown commercially in the US; it is a high-value crop, and
there is an established market for it. It will grow just about anywhere
sorghum will, and its culture is rather similar. A little extra work is
required to handle it with farm equipment designed for cereal grains.
There are good summaries at:

http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/amaranth.shtml

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ms/DC3458.html

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/p...90/v1-127.html

The Rodale Research Center and the Amaranth Institute are the main
sources of information on commercial amaranth production; agricultural
extensions in Midwest and Plains states will have information tailored
to local conditions as well.

--
Chris Green