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In the mid-1980s, growers in the region realized the need to adopt conservation practices on highly erodible cropland. However, techniques such as high-residue management, in-row subsoiling and strip tillage, which work well on the sandier Coastal Plain soils of southern Alabama and southern Georgia, did not do as well as conventional tillage with cotton in […]

The primary cash crops grown in the ridges and valley are cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat. Prior to the 1980s, some specialty crops were grown on the Sand Mountain soils, including white potatoes, sweet potatoes, pimento peppers, tomatoes and small patches of other vegetables. But, the total acreage of these crops was small compared to […]

Charles C. Mitchell, Auburn University Charles H. Burmester, Auburn University The Tennessee Valley and Sandstone Plateau region of northern Alabama is part of two major land resource areas (MLRA) as defined by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): MLRA 128 (Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys) and MLRA 129 (Sand Mountain) (Figure 17.1). MLRA 128 is […]

Today, agriculture is at a crossroads. It is receiving increased attention as the nation is concerned about its ability to meet food, feed and fiber demands along with increasing fuel demands. This chapter examines the use of crop residues in a conservation tillage system as a source of cellulosic fuel, as well as the economic […]

Table 16.2 summarizes several switchgrass production cost scenarios based on a five-year planning horizon and a 10-year planning horizon. The baseline scenarios look at the cost of production without replanting costs, storage costs, transportation costs and BCAP incentives. Then, these other cost components and incentives are included to determine their impact on the cost per […]

In this section, an economic framework is presented for deciding whether to plant switchgrass as a dedicated energy crop. Emerging issues in the establishment, production, harvest and handling of switchgrass are also discussed. Finally, an overview of policy incentives designed to encourage switchgrass plantings on private landholdings is presented. Farm managers are faced with four […]

The potential for dedicated energy crops to further energy security and environmental sustainability goals depends on their ability to generate farm income. Despite the best intentions of policymakers, realization of these broader goals will fall short without market incentives that make energy crop plantings economically competitive with alternative farm enterprises. There are a number of […]

Much has been written about using crop residues as a bioenergy feedstock. In the mid- to late-1970s, energy prices soared, which led to discussion about using crop residues for energy [1, 18]. In 2003, the DOE shifted interest from dedicated energy crops to crop residues such as corn stover and wheat straw [70]. Kim and […]

Burton C. English, University of Tennessee Daniel F. Mooney, University of Wisconsin James A. Larson, University of Tennessee Don Tyler, University of Tennessee Dustin K. Toliver, Huvepharma, Inc Today’s economy is primarily based on the use of fossil fuel, but the potential of renewable alternatives, such as bioenergy, is being evaluated. The rationale for this […]

Transitioning from a conventional cropping system to a conservation system that uses both reduced tillage and cover crops will change the economics of your farm operation. Partial budgeting and enterprise budgets are two tools described in this chapter that can help estimate how changes in management practices might affect the bottom line. Partial budgeting isolates […]