This NebGuide discusses the economic advantages of using a fallow system with winter wheat. In 1979, Americans watched gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products dramatically increase in price. The amount of imported crude oil increased and the demand continued strong despite higher prices. Conservation of energy, either forced or voluntary, seems to be one of the key solutions to the energy crisis.
Agriculture is a small user in the U.S. energy budget.
Yet individual farmers view their fuel cost as a large input and are seeking ways to reduce energy consumption and energy expenditures. To the individual producer these kinds of savings are worth pursuing. Alternative fallow systems are now available with the recent development of ecofallow and chemical fallow. I presents six systems of fallow for which the energy use in tillage and chemical energy investment will be estimated. Two systems were selected to represent conventional, ecofallow, and chemical tillage.