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2016 Logan County Fall Farm Outlook Magazine
Lincoln Daily News
Oct. 27, 2016
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been moved into corn production likely because
of the high prices paid for corn in 2011 and
2012. This has increased the worldwide corn glut
significantly. The plan is that moving a portion
of the farm acreage away from corn will reduce
the amount of corn produced, thereby lowering
the price pressure, and will bring higher profits
from alternative crops. But for Logan County
producers this will mean significantly more
labor and time investment per acre as well as an
investment in new equipment and a total change
of practices. Logan County ground is perfect for
growing the highest yields of corn in the nation,
while other crops will experience variable yields
based on rainfall, pests and other factors, making
them less desirable than corn.
Perhaps there are two answers on the horizon for
the Logan County producer. First, new markets
for corn need to be generated and discovered,
and existing markets increased. We have learned
how to grow more corn, now we need more and
better markets to sell it in. Greater consumption
will lead to higher prices. Our national leaders
need to work to ensure and increase the export
market. Our livestock industries need to increase
to produce more high-quality meats and thereby
require an increase in corn for feed. Our
government needs to continue the ethanol subsidy
and the industry needs to expand to continue to
replace the use of petroleum products, relying
instead on the use of corn to satisfy this nation’s
energy needs. And new consumer products need
to be produced to utilize corn.
Second, producers in other parts of the world
where corn production is not as high will likely
be forced to diversify their acreage away from
corn to other crops because they will be the first to
fail in the corn market. This will lower the total
acreage dedicated to corn, and lower the total corn
production to be more in line with consumption,
thereby raising prices. If others are getting out,
then Logan County producers should stay in
and do what they can to survive until prices go
up. Higher corn productivity on Logan County
acreage may ultimately save us and sustain the
farm.