For as long as humans have been paid to grow food there has always been a desire to grow more for less with less effort. This defining goal has been encompassed by one common theme; change. Change is the one constant in every farming career, whether or not each individual farmer chooses to embrace it or fight it determines the success or potential struggles of their operation. Think of the change that agriculture has gone through in the last 25 years; and how much of that change have you embraced on your farm? Early adopters of change tend to also be the some of the most successful farmers in their area.
Major changes have come in the form of machinery advancements, technological advancements, and farming practice advancements. Not that many years ago continuous cropping was fought by nearly every lending institution, doubting neighbor, father, etc. Slowly it became common place to continuous crop with using a mix of pulses, fertilizer, oilseeds, in addition to the traditional cereal crops. Summer fallow has become a rarity on many conventional farms, and fertilizer bins are becoming more numerous. We have gone from fertilizer in sacks to a blend we purchase in bulk to a complete fertilizer program focusing on crop requirements.
The change from focusing on a simple blend that we use on every acre we fertilize; to putting on specific products for each individual crop has the potential to push our yield potential to the next level. Using the biology of our crops to our advantage rather than try to force them to work with what we are willing to put in the ground is the biggest change that agriculture faces today. How each farmer chooses to embrace this current change will determine success or future struggles.
The farming practice revolution that is upon us is the most exciting thing to happen to agriculture since we switched to continuous cropping. The farmers who have begun to embrace this change are beginning to separate themselves from those farmers who use their blend they always have. Once a farmer is willing to break this cycle the possibilities are endless. Think about how you want to approach this change; embrace it or fight it.
Matt
