Data from: 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, which
suffered from slug damage. Whole-system economic returns narrowed across
years; by year three, whole system comparisons for the ASP corn and
soybean entry points (corn-soybean-wheat and soybean-wheat-canola,
respectively) showed equivalent economic returns for BAU and ASP, despite
yield differences, owing largely to the ASP system’s reduced operational
costs. Overall findings suggest that early regenerative systems can be as
profitable as conventional with careful attention to rotation entry points
and inputs.

传统耕作系统向再生性耕作体系转型往往面临经济风险，这源于转型期产量波动与不可预见的成本开支。本研究针对美国中西部北部地区，对比了从常规（Business as usual, BAU）玉米（Zea mays）-大豆（Glycine max）轮作体系，向理想型（aspirational, ASP）五作物轮作（玉米-大豆-冬小麦（Triticum aestivum）-冬油菜（Brassica napus）-饲草）转型的前三年产量与经济收益。再生性ASP耕作实践涵盖更为多样化的作物轮作、全程免耕、覆盖作物种植、精准投入品施用以及畜禽堆肥融合利用。转型前两年，BAU体系的玉米产量较ASP体系高出8%~12%，第三年则较ASP体系低5%。大豆产量在前两年与ASP体系基本持平，但第三年因ASP体系暴发虫害，BAU体系的大豆产量更高。其余ASP作物的产量在前两年均低于BAU体系，第三年则与BAU体系相当，仅冬油菜因遭受蛞蝓危害出现减产。全系统经济收益差距随年份推移逐渐收窄；至转型第三年，针对ASP体系下玉米、大豆起始轮作模式（分别为玉米-大豆-小麦与大豆-小麦-油菜）的全系统对比显示，尽管存在产量差异，但ASP与BAU体系的经济收益已基本相当，这在很大程度上得益于ASP体系降低的运营成本。总体研究结果表明，只要审慎优化轮作起始模式与投入管理，早期再生性耕作体系即可达到与传统耕作体系相当的盈利水平。