Author: Charlie O'Dell, Extension Horticulturist, Commercial Vegetable Production, Department of Horticulture; Henry Snodgrass, Extension Agent, Farm Management SW District; Charlie Conner, Extension Agent, Commercial Horticulture, SW District; and Gordon Groover, Extension Economist, Farm Management, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech
Publication Number 438-898, Posted January 2001
Commercial production, i.e., production to generate income, is advised only where irrigation is available. If you need to buy new irrigation equipment with frost protection, a first acre sprinkler irrigation budget is also included. Secondhand equipment is often available at a savings. Drip irrigation is recommended for all plastic mulched crops, and also may be used where frost protection is not essential. A first acre drip irrigation budget is also included. Fall vegetable production is especially risky without irrigation. Vegetable farming is very input-intensive of information, management, labor and equipment. Low levels of information assimilation, management, labor, and needed equipment, including irrigation equipment, doom prospects for success.
Note: For each enterprise a range of currently reported low, medium and high yields and prices are shown. Expected yields should be cut by one-half for beginner, no experience plantings. Conversely, growers hiring experienced migrant labor have often cut harvest hours shown herein by up to one-half. Prospective tree fruit, wine and table grape growers should contact Extension Horticulturists for case-by-case budget assistance.
Growers and those who advise them must help inform buyers and consumers of present-day production costs! Farm families cannot remain in business nor youth be expected to enter and advance in this profession of feeding our society unless there is a reasonable expectation of profitable returns and rewards for risks of investments, management, family involvement, and hired labor. Do you know the cost per pound to produce your crops? What price per pound do you need to receive to make a profit at various production levels? Budgets contained in this publication are intended to help you plan and conduct profitable, environmentally safe farming enterprises and to assist you in educational, rewarding marketing efforts with your clientele.
Specific pest control products are listed for budgetary purposes only; they are not necessarily recommended for production. Current production recommendations, updated annually, are found in VCE Pub. 456-420, Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations for Virginia. Pest control rates are based on minimum EPA-approved safe application rates and last safe dates of application before both field re-entry and first harvest. Safe rates are defined by law as those that will not exceed at harvest the acceptable daily intake level (ADI) for humans based on no effect levels (NOEL) of pesticide products research with rodents, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Human ADI levels are always set far below (1/100th to 1/1000th) of rodent NOELS. Vegetable growers can defend their careful production of safe food.
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Trade names are used in this publication for information purposes only. The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Virginia State University do not warrant those mentioned nor do they intend or imply discrimination against those not mentioned.