MISSOURI 2003 IRRIGATION SURVEY
Presented at the Irrigation Conference, Columbia, MO. February 2004
University of Missouri Outreach and Extension and Commercial Agriculture Program
Ray Massey and Mary Sobba
This is the 26th year the University of Missouri has collected data
from Missouri farmers on irrigation performance. The data presented
here are the average values for 25 irrigation systems that responded
to our December 2003 survey. Individual farms may report more than 1
system. Irrigation systems located in the southeast region of
Missouri are not included in this report.
The number of surveys returned was down from last year. All of the
respondents indicated that they used their irrigation system this
year. Survey respondents included 18 irrigation systems irrigating
corn and 22 systems irrigating single-crop soybeans in Missouri in
2003.
Respondents reported that corn yields from land irrigated with an
average of 5 inches of water exceeded dryland corn yields by 68
bushels. Irrigated single-crop soybean yields exceeded dryland
yields by 15 bushels, with 3.8 inches of water being applied.
Eighty percent of the systems were fixed center pivots; 9% were
towable center pivots and 11% were traveling gun. Pumping power was
evenly split between diesel and electricity (45% each of the
systems); the remaining 10% was combination diesel/electricity.
Seventy-five percent of the respondents reported that their
irrigation water supply was adequate. Eighty-three percent of those
that used reservoirs reported that their reservoirs were full in
June.
Page 4 of this report contains crop budgets using this survey data,
University of Missouri crop budgets and 2003 harvest time prices.
Other government payments are not included. This year the net
return to land and management for corn was 36.70/acre; single crop
soybeans resulted in $112.92/acre. Returns to land and management
were profitable for both corn and soybeans in 2003. The income
change due to irrigation was positive $73.33 for corn and $43.31 for
soybeans (see bottom table of page 4).
2003 Irrigation Survey Crop Details |
|
| Corn | Single-crop Soybeans |
|
Number reporting | 18 | 22 |
|
Average acres irrigated | 118 | 107 |
| |
|
Irrigated yield/acre (bushels) | 163 | 44.7 |
|
Dryland yield/acre (bushels) | 95 | 30.0 |
|
Increase (bushels/acre) | 68 | 14.7 |
| |
|
Inches/application | 0.9 | 1.0 |
|
Times irrigated | 5.6 | 3.8 |
|
Total inches applied | 5.0 | 3.8 |
Missouri 2003 Irrigation Survey (excluding Bootheel)
|
Types of Systems |
|
Fixed Center Pivot | 80% |
|
Towable Center Pivot | 9% |
|
Traveling gun | 11% |
| |
|
Types of Water Supplies |
|
Reservoir | 50% |
|
Well | 38% |
|
Lagoon | 12% |
|
Stream | 0% |
|
Combination, reservoir/stream/well | 0% |
| |
|
Types of Pumping Power |
|
Electricity | 45% |
|
Diesel | 45% |
|
Combination diesel/electricity | 10% |
|
|
| |
|
2003 Average Fuel Cost per Acre Inch: |
|
Electricity (8 systems) | $2.23 |
|
Diesel (8 systems) | $2.66 |
|
Average (18 systems) | $2.33 |
| |
|
2003 Repair Costs: |
|
Average per farm (25 farms) | $443 |
|
Average per acre (107 acres/farm) | $4.14 |
| |
|
Water Supply Adequate? | 75% yes |
|
Reservoir full in June? | 83% yes |
| |
|
1994-2003 Survey Corn Yields, 10-year average: |
|
Irrigated | 156.6 bushels/acre |
|
Dryland | 114.6 bushels/acre |
|
Difference | 42.0 bushels/acre |
| |
|
2003 Average Corn Planting Rate: |
|
Irrigated | 28,646 stalks/acre |
|
Dryland | 25,960 stalks/acre |
| |
|
1994-2003 Survey Soybean Yields, 10-year average: |
|
Irrigated | 49.8 bushels/acre |
|
Dryland | 39.4 bushels/acre |
|
Difference | 10.5 bushels/acre |
|
2003 Irrigated Crop Budgets (per acre) |
|
| Corn | Single-crop
Soybeans |
|
Income | |
|
Yield/acre (bushels) | 163 | 44.70 |
|
Price/bushel | $2.30 | $7.16 |
|
Gross income/acre | $374.90 | $320.05 |
|
Operating Costs: | |
|
Seed | $38.67 | $30.00 |
|
Fertilizer and lime | 80.60 | 25.81 |
|
Chemicals | 24.00 | 7.04 |
|
Machinery fuel, repair etc. | 85.00 | 59.09 |
|
Labor and Miscellaneous | 25.00 | 25.00 |
|
Drying @10¢/bushel | 16.30 | 0.00 |
|
Irrigation fuel ($2.33/acre inch) | 11.65 | 8.85 |
|
Irrigation repairs | 4.14 | 4.14 |
|
Irrigation Equipment | 40.00 | 40.00 |
|
Interest (9% x ½ operating costs) | $12.84 | $7.20 |
|
Total Non-Land Costs/Acre | $338.20 | $207.13 |
|
Return to Land and Management/Acre | $36.70 | $112.92 |
|
2003 Income Change Due to Irrigation (per acre) |
|
| Corn | Single-crop
Soybeans |
|
Added Income | |
|
Yield/acre (bushels) | 68.0 | 14.70 |
|
Price/bushel | $2.30 | $7.16 |
|
Gross income/acre | $156.40 | 105.25 |
|
Operating Costs: | |
|
Seed | $3.63 | 0.00 |
|
Fertilizer and lime | 10.00 | 3.00 |
|
Labor | 5.00 | 5.00 |
|
Drying @10¢/bushel | 5.40 | - |
|
Irrigation fuel ($2.33/acre inch) | 11.65 | 8.85 |
|
Irrigation repairs | 4.14 | 4.14 |
|
Interest (9% x ½ operating costs) | $1.85 | $0.94 |
|
Added operating costs/acre | $43.07 | $21.94 |
|
Added Income over Added Costs | $113.33 | $83.31 |
|
Ownership Costs: | |
|
Irrigation Equipment | $40.00 | 40.00 |
|
Added Return to Land and Management/Acre | $73.33 | $43.31 |
