Changes in Production Areas, Production Concentration, and Production Trends of Six Selected Crops in Nebraska 1930-1965

Nebraska agriculture has undergone many changes since the mid-nineteenth century.The vast rolling prairie of the early 1800’s has been transformed into a highly productive agricultural area.Prairie grasses have been replaced by more productive crops such as corn, wheat and alfalfa.Cattle and other types of livestock have replaced the buffalo which once roamed the plains.The development of irrigation has added to the productiveness of the land. The purpose of this study is to determine what changes have taken place in total acreages grown and total bushels produced of each of six selected crops (corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, oats, wheat, alfalfa) and to determine where those crops are produced within Nebraska.The objectives of this study are as follows: 1) to determine shifts in production of selected crops within Nebraska from 1930 to 1965. 2) To determine trends in acreage and total production of selected crops in Nebraska from 1930 to 1965. 3) To project trends in the production of selected crops in Nebraska to 1975. 4) To determine and discuss some of the reasons for the shifts which have taken place in production location and the trends in production of selected crops. Results of this study show a relative profitability of the six crops studied has changed from 1940 to 1964. There is much variation in the net profit returned by each crop in different areas of the state.Changes of over-all production of the six crops studied have occurred and probably will continue to occur because of many factors.These factors include changes in demand for each of the crops; changes in government policy programs affecting these crops; changes in export markets for these crops; further adoption of technology. Advisor:Glen Vollma