Washington, D. C. 
COST OF PRODUCING WINTER WHEAT 
IN CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. 
By R. 8S. WasHBurn, Assistant Farm Economist, Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. : Page. 
Value of knowing costs.........- Be Aye tia 1 |. Variation in net cost per acre.../............ 22 
Centers of wheat production in the United Variation in net cost per bushel............. 24 
PSHE RESP aie a i es nia ra i Gere iae 1 | Effect of yield on cost per bushel............ 28 
BASIiCHAGLORSIONCOStle= eee ene eee 3 | Use of quantity requirements of labor and 
Prices oflabor and materials................ 14 materials in computing costs..__-___...... 29 
Summary of average costs by tenure.......-. ial Ssummarycotlabor prachicess.s-1. 4. see nee 30 
A comparison of costs in Regions of widely 
Gifterent land avalueseaaser seccsieeecicee = Be 21 
VALUE OF KNOWING COSTS. 
Under present economic conditions it is increasingly important 
for farmers to know and analyze their production costs. The basis 
for intelligent farm organization consists of a knowledge of the 
relative profitableness of the various enterprises which may be 
suited to the particular locality. The choice of enterprises once 
being made, comparative costs of the different methods that may 
be employed serve as a guide for following those practices which will 
result in the highest net return. In farming, asin any other business, 
cost statements are desirable to point out the places where production 
costs should be lowered and to what extent operations can be expanded 
profitably. | 
The aim of this bulletin is to set forth a clear statement of the 
basic cost factors of winter wheat production, to indicate how these 
basic data may be used in calculating the cost of producing winter 
wheat, and to point out some of the factors which illustrate economy 
and efficiency in production. 
CENTERS OF WHEAT PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 
In 1839 western New York and the region including southeastern 
Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern Ohio were the princi- 
pal wheat-producing centers of the United States, contributing 
Notre.—Acknowledgment is due to H. A. Miller and A. P. Brodell of the Bureau of Agricultural 
Economics and to A. F. Swanson, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, for assistance in collecting the field 
cost data contained in this bulletin. Thanks are extended to the many wheat farmers through whose 
courtesies the securing of the field data was made possible. 
59728°—24—_1 
