| In an attempt to build a bridge
bringing the work done by the University of Nebraska on to
the producers' farms, PROFIT was formed.
PROFIT, which stand for Production Research On Farm
Improvement Trails is designed to "take the small plot
research across the chasm to the producers' fields,"
Nebraska Sugarbeet Growers Association's Randy Hoff said.
The project will be under the direction of the growers
and will bring the grower's association, the University of
Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center and Western
Sugar together to work on ways to improve sugarbeet
production.
"We are looking forward to this new level of
demonstration and research," University of Nebraska's
John Smith said. "It's a plus, plus, win, win, element
for everyone."
It is important that if "growers are going to accept
and adopt new techniques they will need to do it themselves.
On their farms, with their equipment, and using their
management practices."
The Nebraska growing area will be divided into three main
parts. These three parts will be the Box Butte area, the
Bayard, Bridgeport, Dalton area, and the Western part of
Scotts Bluff County, Hoff said.
In this first year the group will look at three different
research projects. Tentatively they will include 1) Full
field trials of micro-rates; 2) Study of Quadris, a new
chemical used to control Rhizoctonia; and 3) Study the use
of the new Pickett beet thinner.
Each project will be replicated in each of the three
areas by growers.
Researchers will be available for help, advice and
gathering of the information. Other support members of the
PROFIT group will include a representative from the
equipment industry, someone from the financial community, a
person from the chemical and fertilizer industry, and
representative from the sugarbeet seed industry.
However, Hoff said, PROFIT will be grower driven. Growers
will chose the projects and conduct them on their farms.
"This is not going to be a project where we are
competing side-by-side with the growers," Hoff said.
"Our goal is only to get the research out to farmers
for them to compare for themselves and against
themselves."
"I think it's going to be a unique form of
research," he added.
The group is looking for growers interested in
cooperating in the three areas.
During the growing season PROFIT hopes to hold a number
of field tours to give growers a chance to see the research
for themselves.
All the projects will be taken through to harvest, Hoff
said.
PROFIT is patterned after the Advancement Committee in
Michigan. There, the group has looked at a number of
different projects in the last three years.
The goal is to also include the Wyo-Braska Sugarbeet
Growers Association and Holly Sugar Company next year, Hoff
said.
"Hopefully it's going to be a fruitful way to arrive
at ways of getting better sugarbeet production." |