Crop performance and profitability for the initial transition years of a regenerative cropping system in the Upper Midwest USA

The transition from conventional to more regenerative cropping systems can be economically risky due to variable transition period yields and unforeseen costs. We compared yields and economic returns for the first three years of the transition from a Business as usual (BAU) conventional corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotation to an aspirational (ASP) five-crop (corn-soybean-winter wheat (Triticum aestivum)-winter canola (Brassica napus)-forage) rotation in the upper US Midwest. Regenerative ASP cropping practices included more diverse crop rotation, continuous no till, cover crops, precision inputs, and livestock (compost) integration. For the first two transition years, BAU corn yields were 8-12 % higher than ASP while in the third, 5 % lower. Soybean yields were similar for the first two years but higher in BAU in the third due to an ASP pest outbreak. Equivalent yields for other ASP crops were lower than BAU in the first two years but similar in the third, except for canola, w..., , # Data from: Crop performance and profitability for the initial transition years of a regenerative cropping system in the Upper Midwest USA

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.kwh70rzj3](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.kwh70rzj3)

## Description of the data and file structure

A field experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2024. Crop yield and economics data were presented.

### Files and variables

#### File: Datta_et_al._Crop_yield_economics_Dryad.xlsx

**Sheet descriptions:** 

**Table 1.** Crop rotation phases by year; cover crops not shown. See narrative for further descriptions.

**Table 2.** Production costs and sale prices for each system and rotation phase. BAU = Business as usual; ASP = Aspirational.

**Table 3.** Absolute and soybean equivalent yields for 2022-2024. Values are mean ± SE (n=4). Means within a column followed by the same letter are not different at p=0.05.

**Table 4.** Mean economic performance across all years (2022, 2023, 2024) for cropping systems with corn or soybea...,