Between changing markets, weather, and supply chain issues, farmers have faced concerns this season. However, fall harvest is underway and farmers are working diligently to get their crops to market.
Josh Grunnet, Grain Merchandiser in Western Wisconsin, says that although corn started out a bit wet, it is drying down and yields are looking good. He shares more about the crop quality he’s seeing so far and how lower levels in the Mississippi River are affecting the supply chain.
The moisture goal is 13 percent for beans and 15 percent for corn. Grunnet says that so far he is seeing beans dried down well and corn heading in that direction as well.
“Right now, in Western Wisconsin it’s common to hear corn yields coming out of the field over 200 bushels an acre and beans above 60 bushes per acre,” says Grunnet. “This could be a record for some counties.”
While record setting yields is a positive, supply chain issues are still prominent. Low water levels in the Mississippi River are creating higher costs for barge traffic. Barges are being loaded with less product, there are river closures as some parts need to be dredged out to move the barges up or down the river, thus costs are rising while transit time is slowing.
“Barges have been the main transportation method for exporting crops but trucking and railroads are now being added into the mix more,” says Josh. “While fuel prices play a role in costs as well, they have been higher for a while now so we are a bit more prepared for that. But as you prepare for one thing, low waters hit and that’s not something we thought we’d be dealing with.”
As far as incoming supplies on the Mississippi River, Grunnet says that farmers are in a good spot for the fall when it comes to fertilizer. He hopes for some precipitation to bring water levels back up by spring however as of right now he feels that Wisconsin has done a good job of getting fertilizer in place and should be good for the fall.
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