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Seymour, IL |
You say "There is no one best method". I would disagree. I think there is a perfect system. We may not know what it is or it might not even be developed yet but that is all irrelevant. We don't have to be perfect. What is important is doing the best we can. By saying that, using excuses like "I don't know" or "I don't care" aren't valid excuses when saying "I was doing the best I can".
but can't we both be doing a different system, and be very successful at it? The point I am trying to make is that there is not one system that is equally effective across all environments, and that meets the needs of the owners, operators, and those involved in the operation.
For example, one thing I am always amazed at is how many look at notill and profitability as being mutually exclusive. Granted, much of SD is probably suited especially well for notill but if I was an "average" farmer in Iowa I would be start to pay attention. There are many farmers in SD farming much further west than myself with average farm yields higher than the state of Iowa and doing it with poorer soils, less water, and essentially no erosion. And I will guarantee you they aren't worried about short-term profitability. They are building their farms for the long-term and all of the sudden the profit side of the equation becomes surprisingly "easy".
I don't believe I ever said, or even alluded to no-till not being a profitable system. as to your point about short term profitability, as long as one has enough equity or additional source of capital they are willing to spend, short term profitability may not be of concern to them. but even with that, most people want some kind of a payoff to the investment that they make. Something can be profitable, but not affordable. Many people seem to disagree with that concept. I do not. You also mention building farms for the long term. I think most of us want to do that, but we may not be able to do all the same things to farms that are rented vs. farms that are owned. It is hard to build for a 10, 20, or 50 year future when the lease is for 1 year.
thanks for the comments
bryon | |
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Of economics, profits, and science
