GardenBanter.co.uk - Can Organic Cropping Systems Be As Profitable As Conventional

In article ,
chasndeb wrote:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0406132600.htm

the abstract is at:
http://agron.scijournals.org/cgi/con...ract/101/2/288

the full text (WAY over my head!) is here
http://agron.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/101/2/288

Chas

Jean-Paul Chavasa, Joshua L. Posnerb,* and Janet L. Hedtckeb
a Agriculture & Applied Economics Dep
b Agronomy Dep., University of Wisconsin, Madison
* Corresponding author ).
This article, the second in a series looking at the Wisconsin Integrated
Cropping Systems Trial (WICST), reports on the profitability of six
conventional and organic systems, with a focus on net returns and
associated risk exposure. Several pricing scenarios were compared to
evaluate the impact of government programs and organic price premiums.
When net return estimates are made using only neighboring elevator
prices (no government programs or organic price premiums), we found that
the no-till corn-soybean system [Zea mays L. and Glycine max (L.) Merr.]
was the most profitable grain system, and management intensive
rotational grazing (MIRG) the most profitable forage system. When
government programs and organic price premiums are included, returns
increased by 85 to 110% for the organic grain system (corn-soybean-wheat
+ red clover (Triticum aestivum L. + Trifolium pratense L.) and 35 to
40% for the organic forage system [companion seeded alfalfa with oat +
field pea (Medicago sativa L., Avena sativa L., and Pisum sativum L.),
hay, and then corn]. This places both organic systems with higher
returns than any of the Midwestern standards of no-till corn-soybean,
continuous corn, or intensive alfalfa production. Also, the results
indicate how risk exposure varied across systems. Interestingly, taking
risk into consideration did not drastically affect the ranking among
those systems. Our analysis shows that, under the market scenarios that
prevailed between 1993 and 2006, intensive rotational grazing and
organic grain and forage systems were the most profitable systems on
highly productive land in southern Wisconsin.

...........

So it looks the wacko's Billy and Charlie may be on to something. Yea I
know just a small sample but does it not feel right. Something that has
no marketability good in the end.

idea repeated in a different manner below.

Guess it is of more of import if you threw the weird idea of
sustainable into the equation. No oil no 5-10-10.....

Bill

Listening to with the windows open first time this spring.

Bhattiyali 4:56 Chinmaya Dunster And The Celtic Ragas Band Karma
Circles New Age 100 3 12/25/08 1:28 PM

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
Not all who wander are lost.
- J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

Some Hopi gardener said, "This is not about growing vegetables; it
is about growing kids."