Every Acre Counts Program Focuses on Precision Profitability Analysis
The goal of the Every Acre Counts (EAC) program is to improve on-farm profitability, diversity, and ecosystem benefits of agriculture by using precision technologies to empower producers to help make informed management decisions for every acre of their operations, writes Randy Tramp at the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan.
The program, developed by South Dakota State University Extension, provides information to producers so they may increase their return on investment and enhanced land management approaches that benefit the sustainability of land, water and all-natural resources.
“Basically, we are focusing on ‘Precision Profitability Analysis,’” says Anthony Bly, SDSU Extension soils field specialist. “We seek to use on-farm precision and economic data so that the analysis will be real-time for each field and location in the field. We are looking for areas in the field (marginal lands) that are consistently not profitable.”
The program will do several other things besides identifying marginal lands. It also provides assessments of marginal lands converted to perennial species or cover crops in comparison to non-converted lands. Next, it conducts evaluations of landscape effects on soil health and water quality resulting from conversions of marginal lands. It also provides incentive payments and financial assistance for plant species selection and seeding. Producers will provide precision farming data (yield monitor and other variable rate inputs), variable input costs and access to treated areas for applied research purposes.
Continue reading at the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan.
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