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Historical Evolution Of Crop Systems In Eastern South Dakota: Economic Influences, Linda Dumke, Thomas L. Dobbs

Economics Research Reports

Cropping systems in the United States and throughout much of the world have moved toward shorter and less diverse rotations during the last half of the twentieth century. However, as we approach the new millennium, there is growing concern about the ecological sustainability of monocultures and such narrow rotations as the com-soybean rotation. Problems of pest control, crop disease, groundwater contamination from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and soil erosion are proving to be very difficult when crop rotation systems lack diversity. "Silver bullet" technologies sometimes buy time, but without diversity, new ecological problems soon replace the problem just "solved" with …