Comparing economics and nitrogen fertilizer costs between diversified and intensified cropping systems in western Canada

Understanding the effects of different cropping systems is essential to maximizing profitability. This study assessed the net returns (NRs) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application over 5 years (2018–2022) of six 4-year crop sequences. Crop sequences included a high-risk system (High-Risk); a market-driven system (MD); a soil health enhanced system (SH); a pulse or oilseed-intensified system (Intensified); a cereal and alternative crop-diversified system (Diversified); and a common cropping system grown in the specific location (Control). Crop sequences were located in different regions within Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, Canada. NR—the response variable to compare the effectiveness of each sequence—was defined as total revenue minus total costs. Results indicated that NR was affected by different crop sequences, and location influenced crop sequence performance, as diversified did the same or better than MD in two locations and similar to intensified and control in most locations. Across sites, NR was highest for MD, averaging at $400 ha −1 year −1 based on average 12-year (2012–2023) prices. However, MD received the greatest N fertilizer. The diversified sequences received only half the N fertilizer and produced comparable NRs to the intensified and control sequences, which had more frequencies of canola and wheat. While results remained mostly the same with different sensitivity analyses, diversified becomes a better choice than the other sequences when fertilizer prices increase while the costs of the other resources are maintained. In conclusion, while MD produced a higher NR, diversified performed similarly to intensified and control but received much less N fertilizer.