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Abstract
Soil fertility decline and soil management for crop production are important issues for
grain growers in northern New South Wales and southern and central Queensland. In
this paper a stochastic dynamic economic analysis of soil fertility management is
presented to derive optimal fertility levels, and the management practices to achieve
them. A sequential analysis of first deriving the optimal nitrogen stock and
application, ceteris paribus, was followed by an assessment of tillage, stubble and
fertiliser strategies to obtain an optimal level of soil organic carbon in the soil. The
recommended management practices are compared with levels of current usage in the
region. The derivation of optimal levels of soil fertility for agricultural purposes may
have other policy implications.