Trent’s Christmas List – Better Prices, Warmer Temps
Trent’s Christmas List – Better Prices, Warmer Temps
The first two items on Trent Brandenburg’s Christmas List for 2016 are: better crop prices and warmer temperatures. With the between-seasons farmer optimism, Trent is looking forward to starting another crop year. Although soybeans are more profitable than corn right now, he does not plan to change his rotations. Corn-on-corn incurs more input expenses for fertilizer and disease control. The disease issues are suppressed in a corn-bean rotation.
Trent sees no major changes in planning his crop inputs of seeds and chemicals for the new crop year. He continues to study marketing strategies to enhance his operating return during the current period of low prices. Most trade predictions see the low prices lasting for another two years at least.
More from The Field Report
Not Quite Harvest Time Just Yet
Trent Brandenburg's earliest-planted corn is "about a week away" from drying below 25% moisture. At that level, he could lower his drying expense at the grain elevator. "Now, if there's an incentive..., " Trent indicated that an elevator offering a [...]
Replanting Done, Corn and Beans Look Good
Trent Brandenburg has replanted his few ponded field "wet spots" as many as three times. The replanted areas are "thin," Trent observed, because "It has been too wet. But at least [replanting] will keep the weeds down." Trent is now [...]
First Round Of Planting Done, Ponds Need Replanting
Trent Brandenburg is done with his "first round" of planting, as he puts it. The corn and soybeans he planted in April are up and growing in excellent condition. Trent's later-planted crops are germinating but not as far along as [...]