8 November 4, 2014 2014 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
And the age old adage does hold true:
Input prices, such as prices paid for ed or
fertilizer; don’t come down as quickly as
they go up. The same is true for prices paid
in the stores, at the pump, or elsewhere.
There have also been “bumps in the road”
such as the PED virus leading to baby
pig losses for pork producers. This has
required sound management, and maybe a
little luck, to keep the black ink flowing.
Of course, weather has played a big role
in the bumper crops we are looking at.
One reporting site in Logan County had
22.34 inches of rain from April through
September. And, I’m certain it was
probably on the lower end of rainfall
for the county. Add in moderate to cool
temperature, especially during pollination,
and the recipe for corn was complete.
The same weather pattern has during
harvest,
making it a drawn out affair. Wet
conditions, and a large crop, definitely
hindered the progress.
In summary, great growing conditions
have led to a large crop to harvest. This has
been bittersweet as the market prices have
plummeted to levels not seen in a while.
Livestock income is up, and crop income is
down.
Pressure will be on crop producers to
reduce costs and therefore maximize profits
– or minimize losses.
From an economic standpoint, the
2015 season looks to be a challenge for
producers.
