Field Check: Managing the Complexities of Adding a New Crop

Published: Aug. 10, 2020, 11:17 p.m.

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\\u201cHow do farmers add more crops in their cropping rotation and manage the complexity of doing that in their farm operation?\\u201d - Jocelyn Velsestuk, Independent Agronomy Consultant for Western Ag, the President of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association and a Director of The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission

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Dr. David Ripplinger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University. He considers himself \\u201can economist by training\\u201d but also a \\u201csystems thinker\\u201d and joins us to address Jocelyn\'s question.

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\\u201cI would start with extension. Go and talking to folks like us to get some information.\\u201d - Dr. David Ripplinger

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Dr. Ripplinger has some calculated budgets that can give possible projected yields and earnings for the farmer to understand what the outcome of a more complex operation may be. He asks farmers to consider the economics, the impact a new crop would have on your soil and how that may affect your input needs in future years. Finally, farmers need to also consider how to market a new crop to know what additional resources that may require. \\u201cYou should never put a seed in the ground before you know what the likely home for that crop is.\\u201d

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\\u201cThere\\u2019s these agronomic trade offs, there\\u2019s these financial trade offs\\u2026.understand the system as a whole which I think farmers generally do. Understand that change you\\u2019re making. Do some quick back of the envelope work and then decide how much do I need to really look at this to pull the trigger.\\u201d -Dr. David Ripplinger

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Follow the link www.NDFieldCheck.com to participate in our next question and answer segment to share your questions and get them answered by the experts!

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Connect with Soil Sense at Soil Sense Initiative

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Soil Sense Podcast is hosted by Tim Hammerich of the Future of Agriculture Podcast.

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