US (MS): Study shows benefits of high tunnels
“High tunnels can boost production as much as three times by increasing the growing season for fruits and vegetables,” says Jim Quinn, University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
The report details the work of Share Life Farms, which operates a 30X96-foot hoop house to produce vegetables about a month earlier than outdoor farming would allow.
“It can allow a person to make a decent income on small acreage,” says Jim Thomas Jr. of the Marshall, Missouri, operation.
He says his structure is about the smallest possible one that would allow profit to be generated.
Federal cost sharing is available fro growers interested in using high tunnel structures. USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) can be used to offset a large portion of the construction costs for the facilities. In Missouri, short-term loans also are available to producers approved for EQIP.
Source: www.agriculture.com