UK Wheat Group Continues to Increase Farmers Profits

2003 

Over a period of several years an integrated working group of UK agricultural-scientists has been working as a unit to aid Kentucky producers in their efforts to produce profitable wheat crops.  In the current economy this is no easy task.  Measuring this impact may be an even more difficult task.

 

Each year the Wheat Science Group (WSG) uses surveys and interviews to try and rate their impact, as well as shape the program to industry need.  After the 2001-2002 wheat production season, the WSG found the following from individuals replying to our queries.

 

!                   96.4% indicted that the WSG has Aa positive effect on your profitability@

!                   On the average this impact was gauged at $20.12 per acre.

!                   The maximum response was: $80.00 / acre, the minimum was $0.00.

!                   The largest number of responses (32%) was: $11-20 / acre.

 

Regardless of which of these numbers is correct, this appears to be a good value.  Remember that this is for a single year and after having been taught IPM and production techniques as a group for several years. One might have expected that most of the changes had already occurred.

 

However, this may really be the tip of the iceberg.  In an attempt to find out exactly where progress was being made a series of questions was developed to see where producers were making changes. Additionally values for these changes were established by individuals that were doing research in those areas.

 

In the survey, individual=s practices were listed and responders were asked to indicate those for practices they altered Abecause you became aware of scientific information or data@.  Here are some examples: