Multi-cropping practices: Recent trends in double cropping: Report summary
Borchers, A; Truex-Powell, E; Wallander, S; Nickerson, C
HERO ID
5013153
Reference Type
Technical Report
Year
2014
Language
English
| HERO ID | 5013153 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Title | Multi-cropping practices: Recent trends in double cropping: Report summary |
| Authors | Borchers, A; Truex-Powell, E; Wallander, S; Nickerson, C |
| Publisher Text | U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service |
| City | Washington, D.C. |
| Abstract | Over the last decade, growing demand for agricultural commodities—for both food and fuel—has increased the incentives for farm operators to increase production. One way to expand production is by expanding cropland acres. However, cropland expansion is not without negative environmental consequences. A recent ERS study found that about one-third of the expansion in harvested corn crop acreage represented shifts from hay production, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment, or grazing land use—all of which provide important environmental benefits, such as wildlife habitat and carbon reduction. Another way to expand production and potentially increase the economic returns to farming is to intensify the use of existing cropland. Multi-cropping practices offer various strategies for intensification by allowing multiple uses of a single field during a single time period (such as a calendar year). The four main multi-cropping practices are cover cropping, integrated crop-livestock systems, woodland-based systems (such as woodland pasture and agroforestry), and double cropping. This report focuses on double cropping, which involves the harvest of two crops from the same field in a given year. Double cropping may substitute for expanding cropland acreage and may have fewer negative environmental consequences. The authors developed a baseline analysis of U.S. double-cropping patterns from 1999 to 2012 and briefly explored the role that farm programs may have in farmers’ double-cropping decisions. It is intended to support future discussion on the factors influencing its use and on the merits of expanding its use. |
| Is Certified Translation | No |
| Dupe Override | No |
| Number Of Pages | 2 |
| Is Public | Yes |
| Language Text | English |
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