​The agricultural sector faces an enormous challenge to feed 9.6 billion people predicted to inhabit the planet by 2050. Food production must increase 70% while regulation increases and availability of arable land decreases.  Precision agriculture will be the driving force in pursuing this increase of 70% in food produced. Precision agricultural is a farming concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra field variability in crops. The goal of precision agriculture is to define a decision supported system for whole farm management with the goal of optimizing returns on inputs while preserving resources. CD Acres utilizes many forms of precision farming.  Variable rate application of seed, fertilizer and cover crops have been utilized for years.  Yield mapping, soil sampling and cost analysis is used on all parcels of land farmed within CD Acres.

Corn

Corn has and will continue to be a staple of the farm.  There are many benefits to growing corn.  First and foremost, we’ve found this crop to increase organic matter of the soil much faster than many other crops.  This has helped immensely with water infiltration, organic matter nutrient release throughout the growing season and residue cover, limiting weed pressure and keeping the soil cooler through the warm summer months.  Typically, our grain corn will be trucked to Blue Flint Ethanol, Underwood ND, or Red Trail Ethanol, Richardton ND.   A percentage of our corn acres will be designated to silage corn.  The silage is utilized in our feedlot throughout the fall and winter months.  The silage is blended with multiple feed sources providing the best overall nutrition for our cattle herd.

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Soybeans

Soybean acreage in North Dakota has consistently increased over the last ten years.  CD Acres has increased our soybean production greatly over the last few years.   Soybeans have proven to be a sustainable and stable crop in our rotation.  Soybeans are more sensitive to weather conditions than many other crops, but we’ve found by doing our due diligence with our no till systems, fertilizing them properly and using the best inoculants we are producing a quality crop.  CD Acres will typically raise a percentage of roundup ready soybeans and conventional non-gmo soybeans.  The non-gmo soybeans are contracted through SB&B foods, Casselton, ND.  These soybeans will be shipped throughout the world.  Taking care of the land all the way up to freeze up, has allowed us to grow non-gmo soybeans with very little weed pressure.  Soybeans will continue to make up a large percentage of our crop production acres.
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Small Grains -Cereal Crops

There are three small grains that are cycled through CD Acres.  Barley, Rye and Spring Wheat.  The two main variations of barley grown are two and six row barley.  For the most part, the malting plants will contract either or, depending on the demand of the end users.  Anheuser-Busch has been our main source where our production will go. Rye has proven to be a winter hardy cereal that has been utilized in saline areas (managing salinity) and as a forage for our cattle herd.  Rye’s ability to withstand our cold winter months and produce bountiful forage makes it a mainstay in our rotations.  Spring wheat can be a trickier crop to grow with many factors affecting the price.  With such a large worldwide foot print, marketing spring wheat can be somewhat of a challenge.  Utilizing small grains in our rotations has greatly helped combat resistant weed pressure by allowing us to use different modes of action within our herbicides, keeping our land and landlords land weed free. 
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Edible Legumes

Field peas and chickpeas continue to be our two main edible legumes.  Excellent early season crops with many soil and rotational benefits.  Self sufficient nitrogen producers, these legumes fit nicely within our acres.  Having early season crops to capture our early season moisture helps reduce some of the environmental risks we encounter each year.  Corn and small grains rotate nicely after our legume crops. Mellow nitrogen rich soil after these two crops surely guarantees their spot in our rotations.

Beef Cattle

​     Our cow herd represents a primary base of Angus cows bred to Simmental/Angus bulls. We strive for cow efficiency, herd health, utilization of feed resources, (range land, crop residue, cover crops) and low maintenance (labor). All while producing high quality calves.  Demand for beef is robust although competitive markets (imitation beef) and lab produced substitutes threaten our market.  High quality beef will continue to be a stable table fair.  There truly is no substitute for high-quality taste and protein of beef.