Strategies Targeting American Agricultural Resources Sustainability: A 6-State Study of Energy and C Sequestration Associated with Row Cropping Attributes.

In 2007 the Iowa Soybean Association enlisted the cooperation of 51 soybean producers in a first-of-its kind project to pilot methods of data collection, analysis and reporting on energy inputs associated with row crop production. While the population size was too small to generalize across a larger population of soybean producers, the pilot project served to pilot use of a novel data gathering instrument, ADAPT (Agricultural Data Analysis and Planning Tool) and various other aspects of an inquiry of this nature, including data gathering instrument/tool validation, field data gathering procedures, database development, data analysis and reporting. Because of the novelty of this endeavor and the need to document agriculture’s continuing sustainability.

The objective of this research is to improve producer profitability and provide necessary data addressing on-farm resource management and sustainability by engaging approximately 500 producers across six states in a scientifically valid field of study of current production practices, documenting and analyzing energy use, other input use, and management practices, and evaluating agronomic, economic, and environmental results. The project engages a statistically significant number (400-500) of mainstream soybean producers and 45-90 crop consultants from six states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, and South Dakota) in a farmer-led, scientifically valid field study of current soybean production practices, documenting and analyzing energy use, other input use, and management practices, and evaluating agronomic, economic, and environmental results. Results from this research show the aggregated energy inputs across the entire project, state-by-state and provides energy case studies that can be used in the adaptive management process on individual farms to address sustainability and resource concerns. Results will also show the C sequestration values  associated with various production practices across the region.