Theses and Dissertations Collection

Current information on farm production practices are lacking for dryland cropping systems of the Pacific Northwest. The objectives of this project were to collect baseline wheat production data and assess economic differences among three agroecological classes (AECs). Wheat production data were collected annually for three years (2011-2013) using a longitudinal survey of dryland wheat growers. Collected data were used to develop AEC representative farm enterprise budgets. Economic differences among AECs were evaluated using pairwise statistical tests. Results from observed data showed the grain-fallow AEC winter wheat return of $37 per acre was statistically different from returns in the annual and transition AECs of $170 and $73 per acre, respectively. Winter wheat production in the annual AEC was the most profitable, the transition AEC followed, while the grain-fallow AEC was the least profitable. In conclusion, the longitudinal survey was successful for developing current, baseline production data and for determining significant economic differences among AECs.