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<br />'" <br />c' <br />co <br /> <br />- 30 - <br /> <br />Four Hundred Acre Hay-and-Grain Cash Crop Operation.--In all budgets previously con- <br /> <br />structed, it appears that around 400 acres of cultivated cropland would be about a <br /> <br />minimum economic size. Budgets were prenared to illustrate what might be accom- <br /> <br />plished on farm units of that size with a hay-and-grain cash-crop operation and <br /> <br />varying levels of productivity and efficiency. In these bud~ets it was assumed that <br /> <br />all land would be suitable for alfalfa and barley. Previously, where irrigated <br /> <br />pasture has been used on a ranch operation, the suitability of land for alfalfa or <br /> <br />barley has not been critical, since land unsuited for those crops could presumably <br /> <br />be used for pasture. <br /> <br />Investment required for a hay-and-grain cash-crop operation would be around <br /> <br />$6l,OOO.l! This would be the smallest investment of any type of farm unit. A <br /> <br />minimum of fencing would be required on farm boundaries, and much of the improvements <br /> <br />previously required for handling of livestock would be dispensed with. A slight <br /> <br />increase in investment in grain-storage facilities would be necessary. Alfalfa and <br /> <br />barley would be grown in the proportions of about two acres of alfalfa to one acre <br /> <br />of barley, or on a rotation of six years in alfalfa and three years in barley for <br /> <br />any particular piece of land. <br /> <br />Previously, when the productivity level was altered, a corresponding reduction <br /> <br />in size of unit was made to keep the carrying ca!Jacity of 200 head of beef cows. <br /> <br />Now, however, the size remains the same, and changes in productivity have an effect <br /> <br />of increasing crop sales substantially. It was assumed that barley could be sold at <br /> <br />83~ per bushel and alfalfa hay could be sold at $20.00 per ton. The assumption with <br /> <br />respect to barley seems quite reasonable unless the orice of all feed grains nation- <br /> <br />ally should be depressed. The assumption that hay could be sold in large volumes at <br /> <br />$20.00 per ton is questionable. In some years, it would be possible. In other <br /> <br />years, substantial reductions in price might be necessary in order to market hay. <br /> <br />11 Complete data for these 400-acre cash-cropping plans are omitted from Table 4 <br />- because they are all similar. <br />