My name is Lawrence A. Coppock. I am the current chair of the Oregon Wheat Growers League Research Committee. The Oregon Wheat Growers League is a nonprofit trade group with a current mailing list of about 10,000 owners and operators of wheat land in the state of Oregon. SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation and Class A pan evaporation for the Pendleton Agricultural Research Center (1971-1986). Note no summer rain; all is winter precipitation. Therefore, we must set a moisture line to stop moisture loss. We set this line with tillage in June. There is not enough precipitation in one year for a crop, but, by conserving through summerfallow, we raise a crop easily on two years accumulated rainfall. Our rotation is Wheat-Fallow. WW = Winter Figure 5. The effect of crop rotation on winter wheat yield, 1933-1987, in 8-year periods. Pendleton Agricultural Research Center. Wheat, P = Peas, F = Fallow. This is a summation of all experiments since 1932. These are the three most productive rotations. I hear and read that the 1990 Food Security Act will resemble the 1985 Act. I assume this is true. There are difficulties in operating some components of the 1985 Act. An Act is only as successful as it can be executed, so I must suggest some strengthening of operations that need to be in the 1990 Act. We must revise and modify the Universal Soil Loss Equation. Some conservation compliance plans here require planting by September 5. This date is derived from the USLE and a ground cover requirement. Research shows that seeding before October 1 opens the crop to Russian Wheat Aphid, Cercosperalla foot rot, and Rhizoctonia root rot. The USLE does not have a component for insects and diseases, yet the USLE is the guide for writing planting dates in conservation compliance plans. The USLE also does not recognize incorporated residue or surface roughness, both which can reduce erosion. WE ARE WRITING COMPULSORY PLANS FROM A KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT IS INSUFFICIENT. WE ARE WRITING PLANS THAT RESEARCH INDICATES SHOULD NOT BE COMPLIED WITH IN SUMMERFALLOW COUNTRY. We must require the Soil Conservation Service to revise and modify the USLE to recognize insects, disease, and erosion reducing tillage when writing compulsory conservation compliance in dryland summerfallow. I also understand that to participate in the 1990 Act a farmer might have to use a rotation. I can't stand rotations. See Table 19 (attached). These are crops that rotations would consist of in dry-land Pacific Northwest. The highest gross return of these choices is $78 per acre. Twenty-five bushel wheat at $4.00 per bushel grosses $100. These rotations would ask me to accept less gross return-- and I couldn't even continue in business with 25 bushel wheat. Now you might say, "Larry, you are only considering economic items." I have a long-term commitment to my banker that requires this consideration; therefore, I cannot stand rotations. Modification of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and not requiring practices that are not economic, unless we are compensated, are mandatory to writing the 1990 Food Security Act. REFERENCES Long Term Management Effects on Solid Productivity and Crop Yield in Semi-Arid Regions of Eastern Oregon (8/89). Paul E. Rasmussen, Harold P. Collins, and Richard W. Smiley (Attachment follows:) |