The study has helped many growers limit their risks both economically and agronomically through crop selection and variable inputs. Seeding dates have had the greatest impact on yield and quality production with many of the late maturing crops such as safflower. The key to proper seeding dates is to be aggressive. Watch the soil temperatures but don't wait for the ideal temperature because it usually never happens. The study has proven that being a little early in planting even though you may have to re-seed a given crop due to frost is well worth the risk over the long term.
Insect management is very important.
Many of the crops do not have problems consistently but never take for granite that the crop the year before was pest free. Pests at extremely high levels such as flea beetles, sunflower moth, aphids, pea weevil, grasshoppers and wire-worms played significant roles in alternative crop production and crop yield reduction. A grower needs to be aware of the crops that he is growing as well as crops that may surround his fields. Scouting for insects is a very important aspect of alternative crop production. Flaring insects from one field or crop to another field or crop can be very devastating if not caught in time.