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With
the introduction of SPS and the volatility of input and end product
prices, it will be even more important than ever to consider carefully
cropping options for 2006 harvest. Decisions should be based on
the following criteria
- Site
suitability for crop
- Yield
potential of site
- Proximity
of market
- Possible
local niche markets delivering a premium
- Impact
on rotation
- Cost
of production per tonne
It
may be that certain non-productive areas of the farm should be
taken out of production, in order not to compromise the more productive
areas. There is potential to incorporate some non-productive areas
into Environmental Stewardship schemes such as ELS or HLS, thus
maximising the benefit of going down this route, without taking
too much productive land out. In this way the farm's environmental
asset can be enhanced without compromising production. Once a
decision has been made on where to crop and what crops to grow,
the next decision is to select the best varieties for the site.
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