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NW Ohio | Personally I think it does pay, but like everything else it depends on the specifics of the field and operation in general (as others have mentioned already). It's no different than having red or green or yellow or blue equipment. In the end they are going to accomplish the same thing (still like green equipment though). Variable rate can work very well if you have large fields and there are noticeable differences within them as you harvest, after all who would want to put down the same fertilizer in an area that consistently yields 30 bushel less an acre than the surrounding area within the field. That being said you have to be prepared for mother nature to throw her hat into the ring as well. I've personally seen in dry years where yield was left on the table (high producing areas were over fertilized and low producing areas were under fertilized, but the low producing areas were natural wet spots in the field and could have yielded much more with more fertilizer and the high ground could have used less fertilizer and yielded the same). This same situation can be reversed just as quickly though. I have no doubt that long term, VR is better for the crops, better for the ground, and better for the pocket book, but just like your combine, sometimes it's the best thing in the world and you swear it doesn't cost you a dime to run it, other years and a few breakdowns later you swear it's the worse thing in the world and all you do is put money into it (of course you only ever admit those things to yourself in the dark). | |
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Does variable rate pay?
