Economics of different crop rotations in New York

The 1996 Federal Agriculture and Improvement Act decouples support payments from acreage so grain producers must now devise rotations based on market prices. Economic analysis of rotation studies can identify profitable rotat ions. The objective of this study was to determine short-term economic cons equences of three rotations: (i) continuous corn (Zea mays L.), (ii) soybea n [Glycine mau (L.) Merr.]-corn, and (iii) soybean-wheat/red clover (Tritic um aestivum L./Trifolium praetense L.)-corn. Field-scale trials were conduc ted from 1993 to 1996 on four farms in New York, and participating farmers performed field operations. Rotated corn yielded greater (140 bu/acre) than continuous corn (127 bu/acre), whereas soybean and wheat yielded 47 and 55 bu/acre, respectively. The soybean-corn rotation had greater net returns ( $101/acre) than the continuous corn rotation ($78/acre), despite net return s of $54/acre for soybeans, because rotated corn had greater net returns ($ 149/acre) than continuous corn. Wheat had negative net returns (-$40/acre) so the soybean-wheat/clover-corn rotation had the lowest net return ($54/ac re). Harvesting and marketing of wheat straw would increase net returns of the soybean-wheat/clover-corn rotation to $84/acre. Sensitivity analysis fo r an 800-acre farm indicated that a soybean-corn rotation had the greatest whole-farm return at 1987 to 1996 New York prices ($55 721). Continuous cor n had the lowest whole-farm return ($16 848). With the decoupling of suppor t payments from acreage, New York grain farmers should adopt the soybean-co rn rotation to maximize profit. New York; grain farmers who market the whea t straw should consider the inclusion of wheat/clover on some of the soybea n-corn acreage because close to maximum profit can be achieved while reduci ng potential pest problems.