Sustainable Corn Production Supports Advanced Biofuel Feedstocks / November 24, 2009 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service

Sustainable Corn Production Supports Advanced Biofuel Feedstocks / November 24, 2009 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service

Climate change and agriculture

Recently there has been much political discussion on the effects of global climate change and how new regulation will affect farmers in Minnesota and around the nation. Our Intern Kimberly Maas looked into some recent research from the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) concerning this topic. As expected the answers are not as simple and clear cut as we would like. The interactions of climate and agriculture are an incredibly complex system and we are just beginning to grasp the connections between common agricultural land use practices and climate. Luckily for us, the scientists at the ARS are contributing some objective scientific information to what has become a very heated political debate. Here is what Kimberly found:

Scientists of the Agricultural Research Service have been looking at alternative tillage methods and fertilizer use that help keep reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scientists have compared conventional methods of plant growth and harvest with alternatives. For over five years, ARS has conducted research in 32 research locations across the country. These locations compare and communicate with one another to work toward creating a national database of how greenhouse gases fluctuate and how carbon is stored. The benefit of multiple research stations is that emissions of greenhouse gases vary from region to region dependent upon such variables as the amount of rainfall, quality of soil, and temperature.

In a six-year study conducted by ARS, no-till corn was planted into the remnants of brome grass sod. The researchers discovered that the switch from grass to corn did not contribute to a change in the amount of greenhouse gases that were emitted. Researchers found that during the switch from grass to corn, yields may decrease due to outside weather conditions. However, the amount of carbon from brome grass that was lost during the switch was replaced by an increase in the amount of carbon put into the soil from corn.

Such practices as chisel and moldboard plowing are known to increase emissions over a short period of time. However, by one year, the emissions from plots with intensive amounts of tillage and those without were the same. Researcher Ronald Follett and his team discovered during 6 years of work, that by using a no-till system, the pattern of organic carbon in the soil held even through both good years and bad dry years. During years when the soil is dry and parched, the release of carbon into the atmosphere should be worse than years when there is no drought.

Reducing emissions is more complicated than cutting back on the amount of nitrous fertilizer that is applied or in changing crop rotation cycles. Crop rotation systems do not have an overall impact on the amount of green house gasses emitted back into the atmosphere. However, rotation methods may still have an overall impact on other conditions such as the economy and soil erosion. When it comes to reducing the emission of green house gases, what is really important to consider is tillage. The type of tillage such as no till, or strip till can have an effect on the amount of gas emissions released back into the atmosphere.

Minnesota Biomass Markets

While at Farmfest last week, I had the opportunity to meet several people involved in various aspects of marketing perennial crops in Minnesota.

Kevin Triemstra, President of Minneapolis Biomass Exchange was presenting information at their booth on connecting Minnesota biomass producers with industrial purchasers of biomass. With a free web-based listing, producers can list the type and location of biomass they have available. With the demand for biomass fueling renewable energy production developing in Minnesota this service will be valuable in linking producers with consumers of biomass.

Another developing venue for adding value to perennial crops is the carbon credit market. Edward Weinberg (edward@cdmasia.org) and Jessie Houlihan (jessie@cdmasia.org) from Cvdt Consulting were at Farmfest as well, discussing the current and future potential for generating farm income from selling carbon offsets.

Using Agritourism to Market Productive Conservation Crops

In order to expand the available markets for Productive Conservation crops, we looked to several partners for innovative ideas on how Minnesota farmers could expand their farm income.
In response we received a proposal from Kent Sheer which investigated the use of a farm stay enterprise as a means of adding value to the conservation crops already present on the farm. The following is excerpted from the final report submitted by Mr. Sheer for his PCWL market development study- Marketing Minnesota’s Fields and Forests: Research on the Potential for Developing a Farm Stay Database and Joint Marketing Program in Minnesota.

Agritourism is growing in popularity throughout the United States, and this farm-stay study provides a starting point for the development of more agritourism opportunities in Minnesota. Farm-stay is an overnight, paid, guest accommodation situated on five or more acres of working lands. This report provides an initial understanding of the potential of farm-stay in Minnesota as a form of agritourism activity that might potentially boost rural economies.
This study is a community-university supported initiative with major funding from the Productive Conservation on Working Lands (PCWL) program of Three Rivers Resource Conservation and Development, the University of Minnesota Extension, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. Other project partners include the Center for Integrated Natural Resource Agricultural Management (CINRAM), and the Sustainable Farming Association of Central Minnesota.

An online questionnaire was developed based on previous farm stay research and the goals of the Minnesota Farm stay research project. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher, with assistance from project investigators and collaborators. Questionnaire sections included property, farm stay relationship, accommodations and demographics.

Respondents definition of a farm stay reveal that overnight accommodations on a far where guests can observe farm activity or participate in farm chores is central to the idea of a farm stay. About half of respondents specified an opportunity to observe farm activities while the other half specified interaction with farm chores. About one third specified an overnight stay. Food is also an important aspect of a farm stay as hearty breakfasts and family style meals were mentioned.

Respondents listed numerous challenges for developing or operating a farm stay. Analysis of their responses suggests that marketing and licensure are the two greatest challenges in developing or operating a farm stay. Other common themes were bringing people into their home and a lack of time.

Respondents also listed numerous rewards for developing or operating a farm stay. Analysis of their responses suggests that meeting new people and sharing their knowledge of farms as the greatest rewards. Respondents were particularly interested in educating guests about the importance of small family farmers on local communities and rural American values. The opportunity to gain a supplementary income was only mentioned once.
The size of respondents’ property varied substantially. While the average size was 153.9 acres, the greatest percentage of respondents (42.9%) indicated property of less than 50 acres (Figure 2). More than half (57.1%) of respondents indicated that the primary function of their property is a Bed & Breakfast. Respondents also indicated that the primary function of their property is a farm/ranch (35.7%) or a hobby farm/ranch (7.1%)
One third (33.3%) of respondents indicated that accommodations at their facility are located in their own home (Table 3). About one fourth (23.8%) of respondents indicated that accommodations at their facility are located in a building separate from their home. A converted, existing building is used by one fifth (19.0%) of respondents and a specially built, dedicated guest structure is used by one sixth (14.3%) of respondents for accommodations. A small percentage (9.5%) indicated that they have camping at their facility. Accommodation capacity is generally small but varies substantially from site to site. Respondents most commonly (33.3%) indicated their capacity to be between 3-4 or 9-10 guests. Respondents less frequently (16.7%) reported capacities of 1-2 or greater than 10 guests. Qualitative analysis reveals that most guest rooms include a private bath and half also include a fireplace. Most facilities highlight breakfast or some other type of food during the stay as an important amenity.

To learn more about Productive Conservation on Working Lands please visit our website
For more information on this study, the full report is available to download.

We have been busy this year wrapping up enrollments for the Productive Conservation on Working Lands Crop Establishment Program. With a last minute push for this summer’s planting season we enrolled a new batch of projects bringing us to within 160 acres of our goal of 1000 acres. These new projects are being established on formerly row cropped land and will not only sequester carbon in the soil, but will also improve the availability of many native grasses and forbs. This will help make future prairie restorations in Minnesota more diverse and affordable.

Our cooperators are finishing up work on the field demonstrations and market studies for PCWL as well. I have received preliminary reports on a couple of projects and it looks like we will have a lot of good information to share with Minnesota producers growing perennial conservation crops.

There have been several developments in the biomass marketing arena this year. Biomass Crop Assistance Program has announced availability of funds. While this program excludes some sources of biomass in plants using a combination of biomass and fossil fuels, we hope this program will help stimulate the bio-energy industry and help these perennial crops to become competitive with traditional row crops on marginal and ecologically sensitive land.

Also in a post from the Minnesota Project, they detail the newly formed Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets. Just the fact there is an acknowledgment of the ecosystem services provided by the agricultural sector is a step in the right direction. Unless we can realistically value these services provided by farmers, there is little economic incentive to implement some of these conservation practices. While quantifying the value of these services will likely prove difficult, the important first step is to acknowledge clean water and productive soils hold economic value to society.