Maximum economic yields could boost ivorld food output
f
ATLANTA, GA - Maximum
economic yield production systems
have the potential to restore the
world’s agriculture to economic
health. It is the best approach to
assuring adequate food Supplies
for a growing global population,
reported Dr. R. E. Wagner during
the international symposium on
Potassium in Agriculture. -
Dr. Wagner, President of the
Potash & Phosphate Institute
(PPI) and the Foundation for
Agronomic Research (FAR), has
traveled worldwide championing
the Maximum Economic Yield
concept.
The need for higher crop yields
in developed and devloping nations
alike has assumed a greater sense
of urgency. Productive agriculture
is both a humanitarian and
economic imperative.
The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) predicts that
three-fourths of needed increases
in food production must come from
present croplands. So it is clear
that more output per acre or per
hectare is key to feeding the world.
Indeed, the gap between average
yields and maximum economic
yields is the world’s greatest un
developed food reserve. For
tunately, that reserve is capable of
development.
Because of so much unexplored
potential around the world in both
existing and new croplands, a
cataloging of maximum produc
tion capacities by soil type and
climate would be a significant
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milestone. There are a few areas,
such as the Cerrado region of
Brazil, which have great un
devloped potential for crop
production. And maximum at
tainable yield has not been
determined in developed
agricultural areas.
In most places in the world, land
for food production is becoming
increasingly scarce. So adding
land to a fanning unit may be less
attractive and more costly than
intensive management of current
resources.
Understanding production
potentials and making critical
choices on land development
around the world provides sound
guidance to farmers. Researching
maximum yield levels will enable
quantification of production
potentials of different areas. It will
help to identify the most suitable
areas for specific crops.
An objective of maximum yield
research is to build systems in
which the components of an in
tegrated package of management
practices interact positively. It can
be defined as “a study of variables
and their interactions in a
multidisciplinary system that
strives for the highest yield
possible for the soil and climate of
the research site. Most of the
reseach now is of an applied
nature. More of it necessarily will
become basic. Knowledge of the
below-ground environment and
root interactions will be an ever
present and increasing need.
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Identifying and evaluating a
broad base of input interactions,
many of which involve potassium,
are essential to effective
maximum yield research. Positive
interactions are the key. They
occur when the response to two or
more inputs used together is
greater than the sum of their in
dividual responses.
Numerous positive interactions
have been identified in agronomic
research. They often result in
significant yield or quality im
provements which can be tran
slated into increased profits at the
farm level.
Interactions can also become
complex, involving all components
of the total production system in
combinations of two or more.
Research data show that hybrids
and fertilizer alone are no sub
stitute for good systems-farming.
wnue some of these interactions
have been identified, many are not
fully understood and merit further
research.
Maximum yield research is
shattering more crop yield records
in less time than ever before. It is
showing that high yields can
conserve the soil, that they can
utilize water efficiently, and that
they can preserve a clean en
vironment.
Dr. Roy L. Flannery of Rutgers
University in New Jersey is
recognized as one of the pioneers of
maximum yield research. In 1900,
he produced a world record com
research yield (at that time) of 312
4600#
3800#
1000#
bu/A (19.6 tonnes per hectare). In
1962 he produced 338 bu/A (21.2
tonnes per hectare).
Also in 1962, research Ken
Stevenson of Ontario produced 251
bu/A (15.8 tonnes per hectare) of
com, the highest yield ever
recorded in replicated ex
periments in Canada. Many other
milestones have been achieved by
other researchers with various
crops.
Maximum yield research can
serve to establish a yield curve
from which maximum economic
yield level can be determined. The
individual farmer can better judge
the yield goal which will produce
the greatest net economic return.
Because soils and climates of the
world are highly diverse, it follows
that there would be wide variation
in maximum economic yields.
In most any maximum economic
yield system there are essential
inputs that cost nothing. They can
be just as important as high-cost
items in making interactions
positive and in making more ef
ficient use of all inputs. Examples
ITC to investigate
apple juice imports
PARK RIDGE, IL - The In
ternational Trade Commission will
begin a special investigation to
determine the impact of imports
on the American apple juice in
dustry.
The investigation was requested
recently by Clayton Yeutter, U.S.
Trade Representative. In a letter
received by the ITC, Yeutter asked
for the investigation to “determine
whether apple juice is being im
ported in such increased quantities
as to be a substantial cause of
serious injury or the threat thereof
to the domestic industry producing
a like or directly competitive
article.”
The Trade Representative’s
action came as a result of requests
from Rep. Guy Vander Jagt, (R-
Mich.), and the Farm Bureau.
“Our growers are seeking
protection from the flood of juice
that is being imported. Americans
are drinking more apple juice than
ever, five times more than they
drank just 10 years ago yet
domestic apple growers are not
benefiting. In fact, more apple
juice is being imported than is
being produced in the U. 5.,” says
Ken Nye, American Farm Bureau
commodity specialist. “About 210
million gallons of juice were im-
include timeliness of planting and
harvesting, equipment ad
justments, plant spacing, and row
width.
While more yield usually
requires more expenditure per
acre or per hectare, the real key is
that it cuts the cost per tonne or
other unit. While individual far
mers have little control over cost
of inputs or market price of crops,
each can control yield levels and
unit cost of production, to some
extent.
Well-managed, high input
systems generate high return on
investment. Maximum economic
yields expand the “profit zone”,
giving the farmer a buffer against
adversity of price, weather, or
other unforeseen problems.
Though still in its infancy,
maximum yield research is
building a factual base for a
maximum economic yield
agriculture of the future.
Maximum economic yields, in
which potassium will have a major
role, can mean greater and more
efficient production.
ported last year, accounting for
almost 54 percent of our market.”
According to Paul Drazek, in
ternational trade specialist for the
nation’s largest farm organization,
the ITC must render a decision
within six months from the time it
received Yeutter’s request.
“They will survey American
growers and processors and hold
public hearings to determine the
impact of imports on the domestic
industry. If the commissioners
decide imports hurt our growers
and processors, they may offer
recommendations to the President
for appropriate relief,” he said.
Relief could be in the form of new
tariffs, increased duties, tem
porary quotas or a combination.
Drazek said the President must
accept, reject or modify the ITC’s
recommendation within 60 days.
His decision must then be im
plemented within 15 days. “Even if
totally successful, this trade action
will only provide temporary relief
since in can, by law, be in place for
no longer than five years. It will
not shut the door to imports but
will provide American producers
time to take the necessary steps to
reestablish their competitive
position with respect to com
petition from imports, ” he said.