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Alternative Crop Options for Southeast Missouri

Alternative Crop Options for Southeast Missouri. Alan Weber Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute www.jeffersoninstitute.org. Jefferson Institute. The Jefferson Institute is a non-profit education and research center with a primary focus on crop diversification.

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Alternative Crop Options for Southeast Missouri

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  1. Alternative Crop Optionsfor Southeast Missouri Alan Weber Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute www.jeffersoninstitute.org

  2. Jefferson Institute • The Jefferson Institute is a non-profit education and research center with a primary focus on crop diversification. • Assist farmers with production methods • Identify and develop markets • Address policy and institutional barriers • One of our areas of work is developing sunflowers, millets, and other alternative crops for southeast Missouri

  3. A century of Missouri crop production (1900-2000)

  4. Opportunities with Sunflowers • Can be grown with grain crop equipment • Drought tolerant crop • Markets available in Missouri for birdseed • Current contract price of $9.50/cwt. • Loan deficiency payment of typically $1.50/cwt. • Yields typically 2000 lbs/acre or better • Large number of varieties, including NuSun types which are mid-level in oleic acid

  5. Sunflower Production Methods • Select a good variety (see MU variety tests) • Can be planted from early April through late July • Plant 15,000 to 25,000 plants per acre (3-4 lbs.) • Plant about 1 inch deep in wide rows • Wider rows allows use of cultivator and row crop head • Fertilize with about 80-100 lbs./acre N • Several herbicide options available • Harvest when back of head turns brown

  6. Sunflower Irrigation • Irrigation timing • For one irrigation, either at bud or early bloom • For two irrigations, do one at early bud stage and one at full bloom • Crop is not very responsive to irrigation during vegetative stage unless needed for establishment • Response to irrigation • Under dry conditions, ND researchers found 190 lb./acre yield increase per inch of irrigation water • Total increase of 50% yield improvement on coarse textured soils in ND (where there is less rainfall)

  7. Oilseed Sunflower Marketing • Birdseed • Ten’s of thousands of acres of demand in Missouri • Bulk delivery points in Missouri • Transportation advantage over sunflowers grown in Kansas or the Dakotas • Local value-added opportunities • Nu-Sun or high oleic acid sunflowers • Potential oil premiums

  8. Other Issues/Considerations • Quality specifications for birdseed • Foreign material • Moisture • Test weight • Pest pressure • Equipment needs • Contracting • Transportation

  9. Opportunities with Millets • Three possible millets to grow • Proso millet (short crop, common birdseed) • Pearl millet (traditional forage, new grain hybrids) • Foxtail millet (easy to grow, golden seed) • Millets can be grown for birdseed market • Birdseed prices are higher than for feed grain • Pearl millet may be a premium poultry feed • All three of these millets are drought tolerant, and can be double-cropped after wheat

  10. Where do Millets such as Pearl Millet Fit into a Rotation?

  11. Millet Production Methods • Planted from mid-May through mid-June • Potential for double-crop • Plant four to five pounds per acre • Planted in rows • Plant about 1/2 inch to one inch deep in wide rows • Wider rows allows use of cultivator and row crop head • Fertilize with about 80-100 lbs./acre N • Similar to milo • Seeds typically mature before plants drys down

  12. Other Issues/Considerations • Market outlets • Question on acceptance as replacement for proso millet in birdseed • Cost competiveness with corn • Yield potential • New varieties developed in Georgia can dramatically impact opportunities

  13. Other Alternative Crop Options • Black beans - for refried beans or soup bean mixes • Amaranth - high value, small market • Winter canola for oilseed and other uses • Flax - early spring crop • Buckwheat - option for late planting • Edamame soybeans - high value, but harvested green

  14. Opportunities for Black Beans • US consumption of dry beans is increasing • Trials indicate revenues can be superior to current commodities • Limited market outlets available

  15. Consumer Interest in Amaranth • High in protein (14-16%) • Well-balanced amino acid profile (close to milk) • Good levels of fiber, calcium and vitamin E • Low levels of fat • Colorful history and flower appearance

  16. Farmer Interest in Amaranth • High price of the grain ($0.40 per pound or higher if organic) • Crop is relatively low cost to grow • Tolerant of dry conditions • Fits into most grain crop rotations

  17. Concluding Remarks • Sunflowers have strong existing birdseed market demand, and potential exists to develop NuSun oil type in southeast Missouri • Pearl, proso, and foxtail millet may be viable options as double crops grown for the birdseed market as well • Other opportunities exist such as black bean or amaranth production that can provide a way to diversify crop rotations and income sources • Contact the Jefferson Institute at 573-449-3518, or visit our website at www.jeffersoninstitute.org

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