Potential Profitability of Strip Intercropping with Corn and Soybeans

Abstract

Strip intercropping of corn and soybeans can result in improved corn yields but at the cost of reduced soybean yields. Additionally, machinery and labor costs may be increased with strip cropping due to the use of smaller equipment. We present a systematic comparison of the relative net revenue differences for a large-scale corn-soybean operation under conventional and strip intercropping production practices. Although strip intercropping resulted in greater gross receipts than monoculture within a field, costs of machine ownership and operation and labor were much higher, resulting in lower net returns.