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Seymour, IL | Easy,
I agree that the general concept is long discussed and researched. See Morrow Plots, Sandborn Fields, and other numerous other long term research sites.
Even with that said, the data shows that there are both advantages and disadvantages in those long term systems. These should be able to be held up side by side on a spreadsheet and costs and benefits evident.
Many of the systems here in the Midwest moved away from those long term systems due to economics. The more intensive row crop operations were more profitable than the long term systems. (same can be said for much of the livestock.... but at least here in IL, much of that was regulatory)
so.... in terms of data, what are the annual yields of corn, soybeans and wheat in a Midwest system? What are those yields in your regenerative system?
What is the change in income on an annual basis? Often we know the resistance to adding a cereal crop to corn and soybean rotations here is that income falls. What does this system add to in regards to measured fertility and soil tests? Most leases have specific clauses in them regarding fertility and not mining the soils (noted in my earlier post)
Much of the nutrient benefits from plowing down an alfalfa crop come from an established field; typically in production for 3-5 years. The nitrogen benefit from a legume seeded in the fall and terminated in the spring before planting of the cash crop.
Everyone wants to talk about how it is a systems change. OK. So show how the system is changed, what is the change, and how does that change effect the bottom line of the farm. At the end of the day it is a business, and it needs to make business sense. On an annual basis. We can talk about investments over time, the time value of money, expected dividends and other future values.... but you have to show your work on how we are getting from here to there.
Your system may work very well for you. I hope it does. I learned a long, long time ago to never say "that cannot happen or that didn't happen".... the real question is can you do it again? The strength of data, replicability and scalability.... if it works for 2 acres, will it work for 2000 acres, 20,000 acres?
Let us see some data and not platitudes. We can debate the merits of a P1 or K test.... if the Bray method is really the better method.... but in all of this we are talking real measurements and numbers. We have good measures of what nutrients are removed in a bushel of grain. We have good measure what a commercial fertility system adds back in. What are the measures of replacement in a regenerative system?
Thank you for your time and willingness to engage in debate
Cheers
bryon | |
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Andrew McGuire Washington State