Cropping Double in Iowa Corey Hillebo Introduction For many years corn and soybeans have been Iowa's staple crop. Corn has been around longer than the soybean. Since the US started growing soybeans for seed in the nineteen forties and early nineteen fifties, corn and soybeans have gone hand in hand, and Iowa producers began to look the other way when a different crop was mentioned (Gibson and Benson, 2005). This was because it was fairly easy to farm a corn and soybean rotation. Farmers these days are farming with bigger and more powerful equipment. This is allowing them to farm more acres over a period of time. With the rising costs of inputs to today's farmer, new opportunities are being looked into. Ground is becoming so expensive that it is getting harder to acquire more land, or raise a single crop in one year. The time has come to look into a possible new source of income. A very popular discussion going around right now is double cropping. This means raising two crops in one growing season. If possible and economical, double cropping could be a great source of additional income for today's modern farmer. Analysis For reference, corn and soybeans will be summarized first. Average corn yield in Iowa is 163 Bu/A. Average corn price is $2.19 (USDA-NASS, 2006). Average soybean yield and price is forty-six and a half Bu/A and $5.66 (USDA-NASS, 2006). Seed costs average $180 per bag for corn and $35 per bag for soybeans (Moore, 2007). Both corn and soybeans take a lot of fertilizer and most producers in Iowa have the machinery to farm soybeans and corn. Wheat is a highly talked about contestant to be the double crop in Iowa. Through wheat's history, we see it can be grown in Iowa because before the civil war, wheat was
the number one crop in Iowa. After the civil war though, the prices plummeted and wheat got shoved aside (Bonney, 2005). Wheat grown in Iowa would most likely be planted in the fall as a winter wheat. The most common wheat that would be good for our climate would be hard red winter, hard white winter, and soft red winter (Skrdla and Gibson, 2007). Every year Iowa has a crop performance test called The Iowa Crop Performance Tests. This test provides how well different crops performed in Iowa from three separate locations. Each variety is tested in multiple plots at each of the three locations for a better average. Hard red winter wheat in Iowa had a three year average grain yield of seventy-five Bu/A and an average test weight of fifty nine and one half lb/Bu. Hard white winter wheat in Iowa had a three year average grain yield of seventy seven Bu/A and an average test weight of sixty and four tenths lb/Bu. Soft white winter wheat in Iowa had a three year average grain yield of eighty one and one half Bu/A and an average test weight of fifty nine and three tenths lb/Bu (Skrdla and Gibson, 2007). Inputs for wheat are usually much smaller than corn especially in Iowa because most of the soils do not need fertilizer. Average input costs for wheat in Iowa would be; seed$17.22/A, chemical- $5.09/A, Custom operations- $6.03/A, fuel, lube, and electricity$8.68/A, repairs- $9.46/A, and interest $2.49/A. This comes to an average cost per acre of around $50 (USDA, 2006). Most wheat will survive the winter of Iowa as long as there is a blanket of snow and not ice. Wheat has a growing season of eighty to ninety days and can grow in temperatures as low as thirty two degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum of ninety degrees Fahrenheit with fifty nine degrees Fahrenheit being the optimum temperature (Gibson and George, 2002). The most suggested rotation for wheat in Iowa is winter wheat followed by soybeans. If managed right wheat can be harvested
in June and soybeans can be planted immediately after if there is adequate soil moisture (Hoeft et al., 2000)(Kelley, 2003). Soybeans will take a hit on yield but there are still two crops coming off the land in one growing season. The market for wheat in Iowa would be mainly livestock because of Iowa's large livestock industry. Wheat is also a great human food source, supplying us with flour to make cookies, cakes, bread, rolls, and etc (Skrdla and Gibson, 2007). To reach the human food market the wheat would have to be transported to the Mississippi or Missouri river by train or truck (U.S. Wheat Associates, October 14th). This is because there is not a strong market for Iowa raised wheat for human consumption in Iowa. One concern an Iowa farmer might have is what kind of equipment would be needed for wheat. Mainly the only piece of equipment that would need to be obtained is a grain drill because it is more efficient to plant wheat in narrow rows (Hofman, 2004). Another crop up for investigation for double cropping in Iowa is oats. Oats are not a stranger to Iowa soils. There are records going back to 1866 of oats being grown in Iowa. From 1920-1936 there was six million acres of oats grown per year in Iowa (USDA, 2007). Oats are capable of growing a good crop anywhere in Iowa; in southwest Iowa- 117 Bu/A, southeast Iowa- 138 Bu/A, and central Iowa- 146 Bu/A (Skrdla and Jannink, 2006). Oats need to be planted by April 15th and have at least thirty inches of rain to achieve 100% yield (Gibson, 2007). Oats can be used for humans or livestock. In Iowa, it is difficult to raise the quality of oats that the oat millers are looking for. Oats grown in Iowa will most likely be used as a livestock ingredient (Hansen, 1992). Oats were grown a lot a long time ago because most of farming was done with horses. Oats were big is a horses diet, but now that farming has grown to large machines, there is not
as much demand for the oats. Oats don't need fertilizer in most of Iowa's rich soils. Seed costs per acre for oats are around ten dollars (Hansen, 1992). The only equipment changes that would need to be made for oats are a little work to the platform on the combine and a grain drill (Mallarino et al., 2006). Oats would be grown as a spring crop in Iowa and there is really no rotation for double cropping oats. Oats does make a great companion or cover crop (Hansen, 1994). Also, it may be hard to control grass weeds in oats because the oat is a grass (Curran, 2007-2008). Barley is a small grain that often gets talked about in double cropping in Iowa. Unlike oats, barley doesn't have much of a history in Iowa. Barley thrives cool in climates and low rainfall produces the highest quality of grain (Gibson, 2007). Barley has an average of 71 Bu/A in Iowa. It has only been testes in northwest Iowa (Skrdla and Jannink, 2006). Barley can be used in malt beverages, livestock feed, breakfast cereals, and bread (when mixed with wheat flower) (Gibson, 2007). In Iowa the barley grain would be mostly used for livestock. It does have a good nutritional value and can be used in fifty percent of the ration (Hansen, 1994). Barley would cost around twelve dollars and fifty cents per acre for seed and nothing for fertilizer (Hansen, 1992). Triticale is a fairly new crop that has come about by breeding two already existing crops. These crops are rye and wheat. This is a good cross because it takes wheat's good quality and yield traits and adds them to rye's hardiness (Gibson, 2007). There isn't much of a cash market for triticale in Iowa. However, it makes good forage for livestock as a finishing ration (Shroyer et al., 1996). As a forage, triticale, can make six tons per acre (Taylor, 2007). Seed costs per acre would be around eighteen to twenty dollars. No fertilizer is needed in Iowa's rich soils (Miller et al., 2003). When grown as a winter
crop, tritcale can be harvested in mid may (Shroyer et al., 1996). Triticale in Iowa as a grain can make 100 Bu/A if cool and dry, and fifty Bu/A if wet. It also can be a good cover crop (Thomson, 2005). Conclusion Growing up on my dad's farm in central Iowa has given me first hand experience into the farming industry. Being from Iowa I see the importance of the corn and soybean crop. Farmers in Iowa have grown up only farming corn, soybeans, and some alfalfa. A lot steer away from trying new crops because they just don't have the education of small grains. Others find it hard to find a market or handle the extra work load of two crops. Iowa's soil is rich in nutrients and grows some of the best corn and soybeans in the U.S. The demand for corn because of ethanol and soybeans because of biodiesel has driven the markets high and it is even harder for Iowa farmers to see past corn and soybeans. Despite the high prices farmers in Iowa are starting to feel the high costs of inputs. Fuel, lube, seed, fertilizer, chemicals, equipment, interest, and ground prices have dramatically risen in the last few years. For example from personal experience I know of a lot of ground around Ankeny, Iowa is going for $7,000 per acre to buy and $300 per acre per year for rent. This is because of pressure from the growing cities. This is making it hard to make a profit in a farming business, especially a smaller farm. The point has come where some farmers might start looking into a second opportunity for income. Wheat is one of what I see as a front runner in the talk about double cropping. It can be grown in many different climates and produces a good yield in Iowa. I believe it would be an asset when soybeans are grown right after winter wheat. The yield would be cut on the soybean yield because of a late planting in mid to late June. As far as markets go, I don't see a direct one for wheat unless it is being used for livestock. In the future I
could definitely see wheat coming into the crop rotation here in Iowa. It could definitely be a good source of income and be a more efficient us of time. Oats are no stranger to Iowan soils. They, like wheat, can be grown with high yields because of Iowa's rich soil. The lack of horses for farm work have drove oats out of Iowa because most of the oats don't have a high enough test weight for food quality millers. Oats really can't be grown as a "double crop," they like wheat can be grown with high yields because of Iowa's rich soil. The lack of horses for farm work have drove oats out of Iowa because most of the oats don't have a high enough test weight for food quality millers. Oats really can't be grown as a "double crop" but more as a companion or cover crop. The market however is here in Iowa. It is more of a problem of getting the test weights higher for better quality oats. With the amount of livestock in the state that can use oats in their diets and higher test weight oats, there could be a third crop option. This third crop could spread risk in farming by giving a farmer more growing options. Barley in my opinion is a least likely crop to be double cropped in Iowa. It is a crop that thrives in cool, dry climate. Iowa gets large amounts of rain and gets warm quick. If ever grown here it would have to be in the north western part of the state where it is cooler and gets a little less rain. It would also have to be grown around livestock for a market. I don't see barley coming to Iowa as a major crop for a long time. Triticale would have to be high on the list with wheat for double cropping in Iowa. Its hardiness along with its ability to harvest early as forage for livestock could make it a great crop for Iowa. Since it can be harvested in mid May, soybeans can still be put in with 100% yield potential while getting a quality finishing rations for cattle. I
believe if a producer owned cattle or lived around a large livestock community in Iowa that they could make triticale work well in the crop rotation. Since triticale is a fairly new crop. I could see even more advances in the genetics being developed making triticale more profitable. As far as double cropping in Iowa I see it definitely being feasible if wheat or triticale is used in the right environment. They could provide an extra income especially if a strong market is found for each. More time and management will be needed but the economical benefits could add money in the pocket to the farmer. Oats could be a great crop in Iowa but probably not a double crop. If the test weights grow to be thirty six pounds in Iowa then I can see them exploding in Iowa as a third crop. Barley will probably not be used in Iowa because it just doesn't receive the right kind of growing conditions. Farming has become so innovative that change happens fast. The high prices will be pushing farmers and researchers to think out of the box and try new things. I am looking forward to all the new things being tried in the next few years. It will be interesting to see if the markets for double crop grains will grow and make a mark in Iowa as a new option for farmers.