Batte, Marvin T.

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Results of the 1991 Ohio Crop Management Survey. Marvin T. Batte Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology The Ohio State University ESO 2021 Ohio farmers use a variety of fanning systems. These vary greatly in the way they use labor, machinery, and chemical inputs. It is expected that they perform differently in response to alternative weather conditions. We also suspect that fanners using these systems may vary by farm size, degree of enterprise diversity, by degree of employment off the farm, or by other attributes. The 1991 Crop Management Survey was conducted to study these and other issues associated with these alternative fanning practices. In April, 1992, two groups of farmers were identified, contacted by mail and asked to provide information regarding their production experiences for the 1991 production year. A sample of 550 farmers was scientifically selected to be representative of Ohio Agriculture. The sample included farms of all sizes and all enterprise types. These farmers were asked a number of questions about their cropping system, including tillage method, fertility management, pest and weed control methods, machinery investment, and cost and return measures. Fifty-five percent of these surveys were returned yielding 222 usable responses. Because ridge-tillage methods have been adopted by a relatively small proportion of Ohio farmers, it was expected that very few ridge-till fanners would appear in the random sample. For this reason ridge-till fanners were identify separately. All known ridge-till farmers in Ohio received a questionnaire. Nearly 58 percent of these surveys were returned. Of these, 75 were completed by farmers who utilize ridge-tillage on a portion of their acreage. In the analyses that follow, farmers from both samples are categorized by primary tillage method and compared on the basis of fertility and pest control methods and on financial performance. Only commercial-sized farms (here defined as farms with gross sales greater than $40,000 annually) are included in these analyses. Table 1 presents summary statistics for fanners summarized by primary method of tillage. Four primary tillage systems were identified - No-till, ridge-till, moldboard-plow and reduced-till. Reduced tillage includes farmers who use a chisel plow or disc for primary tillage. Each surveyed farmer is associated with one column in table 1 -- the tillage system use on the majority of their acreage. Farmers who used two or more tillage systems with no system being used on over half of cropped acreage are included in the Mixed-Systems category. About the sampled farms Table 1: Farm description by prlmary ti11age method. ~1,1mber of Farms Total farm aqreage Cr.opped acreage Percent leased land Farms with livestock {%) Average :Operator Age {yrs) ~per~tors wcrking off-farm: · seasonally {%) Year-around (%) -~~~~~ ... ~- Primary Tillage System -~---~---R1dge~ Ho~ Reduced~ Moldboard Mixed 1111 TiJF ljl1 . f1ow S't;stem za zs 57 zs sn 579.4 5S7.Z S~].S S7Q.6 649.5 534.9 434.2 471.7 .316.8 545.4 59.~ 42.8 6().9 45.4 45.3 27 .s 51.5 55.5 86.2 74.6 42.3 47.0 44.4 50.7 48.5 8.3 33-.S 6.3 29.5 14.5 33.7 5.~ 26.9 $.4 34.4 Farm size does vary significantly among the tillage groups. The mixed tillage systems group had the largest average farm size (650 total acres and 546 cropped acres). This helps explain why multiple tillage systems are used on these farms. Their larger acreage makes it easier to justify the expense of two sets of primary tillage equipment and they probably have more diversity in cropland characteristics. Ridge-till farms had the next largest average farm size (535 cropped acres). Farmers using the moldboard plow had the smallest cropped acreage. There also was a substantial difference in the percentage or farmers in each group involved in livestock production. Less than 28 percent of ridge-till farmers had livestock on the farm. Just over half of the no-till and reduced-tillage farmers had livestock. Those farmers with moldboard-plow and mixed-systems much more frequently had livestock enterprises. Operator age and off-farm employment also varied significantly. Ridge-till farmers had the youngest average age (42.3 years), followed by reduced-till farmers (44.4 years). Moldboard-plow fanners had the highest average age, at just over 50 years. Substantial numbers of farmers in each tillage group worked away from the farm. Reduced· and ridge-till farmers most frequently work off-farm - each with one-third of its operators working away from the farm year-around. Moldboard-plow and no-till farmers had the lowest percentage of farmers working ott farm - but still with more than 30 percent working away from the farm. Table 2 highJights the tillage practices for each tillage system category. From this, it is apparent that farmers in all but the mixed category operated primarily with a single system. On average, ridge-till farmers used this method on 93 percent of their cropped acreage; No-till fanners used no-till practices on 84 percent of cropped acreage; Reduced-till farmers used the chisel plow on 60 percent of their cropped acreage, and discing was the primary tillage on 16 percent; Moldboard plowing was done on 80 percent of Table 2. Percentage of acres tilled with various primary tillage methods. Primary ti 11age method lt'ldge~till Mo.-till Cftise l Plow Discing Only Moldboard Other ~------- Primary Tillage System ---------Rid~e- No- Reduced- Moldboard Mixed Ti1l nn Till P1ow §ystem +~-~--~ Percent of arcpped acres --~+----SZ.7 0.4 0,1 0.0 7.4 t.o 83 . .a s.e 9.1 tl.7 2.6 13.0 60.4 4.2 30.6 2.9 D.O 15.8 S.S 5.3 0.7 2.7 16.7 80.1 33.6 0.0 D.O 0.7 0.6 10.4 cropped acreage for the moldboard-plow group. A number of questions were asked regarding the cultural practices involved in fertility management and pest control (Table 3). The fll'St question asked whether fertilizers were applied in bands or were broadcast. Ridge-till farmers most frequently used banding of fertilizers - Fifty-four percent banded all fertilizers and 34 percent banded some fertilizers. Moldboard-plow fanners more commonly applied fertilizers by broadcast. Even though these farmers differed substantially in how they applied fertilizers, there is not a large amount of ditrerence in the rate of fertilizers applied. The farmers were asked how much actual nitrogen was applied per acre for the com crop. Averages ranged from 141 pounds per acre for the mixed tillage system group to nearly 153 pounds for the reduced-till group. Livestock manure may have provided additional N, but we did not ask questions about the quantity, analysis, or type of manure applied to the com crop. Weed control is another item of substantial cost for most Ohio farmers. Farmers were asked how they applied herbicides In their farming system (Table 3). Almost all farmers made use of herbicides in 1991, but method of application varied considerably. Most ridge-till farmers controlled weeds by band-spraying herbicides to protect the row and using cultivation to control weeds in row middles. Most fanners in the other tillage systems applied herbicides as a broadcast. The survey did not obtain information about the amount of herbicide material applied per acre. Crop mix and yield Both the mix of crops grown and yield performance varied among the tillage categories for 1991 (Table 4). Ridge-till fanners used a crop mix that was dominated by com and soybeans •• these crops accounted for over 92 percent of ridge-till crop acreage. Farmers in the other tillage categories included more wheat and other small grains in their rotations as 2 well as more hay crops. The 1991 production season was impacted powerfully by a season-long drought. State average yields for com, soybeans and wheat were 96, 36 and 49 bushels per acre, respectively. Yields for the sampled farmers were very close to these estimates, averaging 96.9, 38.3 and 52.7 bushels per acre for com, soybeans, and wheat. However, there was substantial variation among farmers in different tillage categories. Ridge-till farmers reported the highest com yields at nearly 109 bushels. Moldboard-plow farmers had the next highest com yields, averaging nearly 100 bushels per acre. Reduced-till and mixed-system farmers were near the state average yield,•while no-till farmers reported the lowest average com yields. Yield results were different for the soybean crop. Mixed-system farmers reported the highest average soybean yields, followed by reduced-till and ridge-till farmers. No-till and moldboard-plowed beans had the lowest per-acre yields. Financial Performance We asked the survey participants a number of questions regarding income and expenses for the 1991 production season. Farmers were asked to provide information from their tax returns so as to maintain as much consistency as possible in our measures. These measures are reported in Table 5. Gross receipts varied substantially across farm type. This is as expected since farm size also Table 3. Fertillty anti weed control practices by tillage method. ~~~-~-~-Primary Tillage System~~~~~--~ Ridge~ No- Reduced- Moldboard Mixed Mtit!U'!! Ti 11 InJ Till P)ow Sntem Fertiltz~t1on application method ~·w-~·-~·-·-~- Percent -~·--~·--~·--*• Sanded 53-.S 10.7 5.7 0.0 19.0 Sroadc>iist 1.7 13.3 20.1 31.9 29.7 Banded on same acreage, broadcast on other .acre some ferti llzers ate banded, 2:.8 38.5 41.8 51.7 33.2: others are broadcast 34. 0 37.4 0.0 32.3 ~ 100.0 16.4 -lW). 10(}.0 18.1 _gj! 100.0 No fertilizers used in 19 ~ Total 100.0 IOo.o At;tua 1 tt applied per acre :of corn ~---~---~---~- Percent -~---~---------l.ess than 100 pounds 6.3 5. 9 7. 7 15.0 ll..l. 100- 150 pounds 3Z.~ 2:S.4 28.8 eo.O 37.0 150 - 2:00 pounds 41.9 58.~ 48.1 50.0 40.7 Mote than zoo pounds ...!!..§ _M 15.4 15.0 ..1L1 Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 -------------~--- Pounds ------------~---Av(lr~ge ~ctual N per earn acre 149.~ 151.6 152.8 151-3 141.3 ~erbicide application method Banded Broadcast Sanded on some acreage, broadcast on other acre Some herb1cides are banded. others are br:oad~s.i; No herbicides used in 199 Total ---------------- Percent -----------·~---52 .3 11.5 9.4 3.0 10.2 19.7 84.2 75.8 85.6 68.3 4.5 23-.:5 _Q_,_Q 100.0 0.0 o.o _!,1. 100.0 10.0 o.n .J:& 100.0 11.4 ().0 ___q,_Q 100.0 16.1 5.4 _!hQ 100.0 CroQ m1x and:t:ieJ~s. bv t11lage metbod, .. Measure Crap corn S!lyheans Wheat Hay Others Crop Corn Soybeans Wheat lm't (bu/ac} {bu}ac) (bu/ac} . (tQlltae) I -~-----~-Primary T111age Sys.i;em ---------Rjdge- No- Reduced- Moldboard M1xed Till Till Till Plow System ------- Percent of cropped ~cres ----~---53.4 42.5 3S.5 29.0 37.S 39.1 41.2 35.5 38.6 37.8 2 .s 6.11 1t.2 16.4 1.9 2.9 6.1 ] .s iil.-3 9.3---2:.& ~ -..!Jl; J.:L _L.Q 100.0 100.0 100,0 100+0 100,0 -------~------ 1991 Yield ---------------108.9 85.2 !13.3 99 • .8 95.0 37.0 36.6 37.4 36.3 42.0 45.3 55.2 51.6 5UI 57.3 S.t 3.1 3.2: ~.2 SA I varied greatly among the tillage groups as did the percentage with livestock. Net farm income, although still a function of farm size, is also expected to be strongly related to yield performance and input use efficiencies. Ridge-till farmers had both the highest gross and net farm incomes. Reduced-tillage farmers had the next highest net farm income ($17,083) followed by mixed-system farmers, moldboard-plow farmers, and no-till farmers. 3 Because these tillage systems use labor, machinery and chemicals iD greatly difl'erent ways, there is much laterest Ia the level of per acre costs for these iaputs. Mixed-system farmers reported the highest per acre expease ($36.25) for fertilizer aad lime, followed (Ia decreasiag cost order) by ridge-till, reduced-till, no-till aad moldboard-plow farmers. Per acre cost of herbicides and pesticides also varied substaatially. Ridge-till, reduced-till and moldboard-plow farmers reported values that were approximately equal - $15 to $16 per Table 5. 1991 fann cost and N!tums by tillage method. Total farm: Grt)s$ "reQ: i epts ~t farm incOII!El Per acre expenses fertilizers and 11~ Hetbi~ides and ~esticides H1red labor Machinery mveument --·-----~Primary Tillage s~stem ----~----R 1 dg*"' Ncr Reduced- Me) 1dbcard M i:Xed Till !ill li11 eJow $Y!.t@!! $ll.25 $29.15 $31.19 $22.11 1S.l0 23.52 15.46 15.90 9.74 9,03 14.71 5.80 236.~& t52.83 212.91 345.33 $36.25 22.13 10.10 ~7.63 acre. No-till aad mixed-system farmers reported expenditures on the order of SO perceat higher. Per acre machlaery iavestmeat numbers raaged from a low of $227.63 for mixed-system farmers to $345.33 for moldboard-plow farmers. These also happeaed to be the farm categories with the largest aad smallest crop acreages, respectively. Conclusions The 1991 Crop Maaagemeat Survey was conducted to leam more about differences among farmers using different tillage systems and other cultural practices. Results suggest that were major differences iD the performaace of these systems Ia 1991. Crop yields varied greatly as did farm net eamiags. In drought years, no-till systems usually are expected to preform relatively better thaa other tillage systems. However, this was not the case for the 1991 drought. No-till farmers had the lowest com yields, averaging about 10 bushels less than the state average. This translated to net farm earnings that also were below average for the state. Caution should be used Ia interpreting these results. These results represent but one year's experience. Yield performance may be greatly different from those reported iD other years. We plan to continue to survey farmers again iD 1992 and subsequent years to get better estimates of yield performance Ia a variety of conditions. 4 

Results of the 1991 Ohio Crop Management Survey

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Results of the 1991 Ohio Crop Management Survey

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