Midwestern Farmers Experiment with Relay Cropping for Higher Yields and Lower Inputs

A Midwestern farmer named Brian Tanner tried something new this season - planting soybeans into his standing winter wheat. This practice, known as relay cropping or intercropping, is gaining attention in the region.

Tanner's farm has heavy timber-clay soils that retain water well into early spring. By the time conditions are right to plant soybeans, he often misses the optimal planting window for highest yields. To address this issue, Tanner used winter wheat to help dry out his fields and provide cover while the soybeans established themselves underneath.

Ken Ferrie, a field agronomist with Farm Journal, explains that relay cropping involves planting winter wheat as usual and then planting soybeans in the spring. The beans are off to a good start by the time the wheat is harvested at the end of June or early July.

Tanner worked with Indiana farmer Jason Mauck, who has spent over a decade refining relay cropping on his farm. Mauck's strategy focuses on maximizing the combined productivity of wheat and soybeans, rather than trying to maximize wheat yields. He achieves this by holding back the wheat and using less nitrogen and seed.

Mauck estimates that his relay system generates around $1,320 per acre in revenue with roughly $160 per acre in inputs. This would equate to a 287-bu corn crop at $4.60 per bushel.