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Illinois farmer expecting another tough year as planting begins
Planting is underway in some parts of Illinois, but one farmer says it is shaping up to be another tough year.
“Depending on what the weather does, it could be as tough, if not even tougher than last year.”
Daryl Cates farms corn, soybeans and wheat in Columbia, near St. Louis. He tells Brownfield the decline in ethanol demand has dropped the corn price to $3.52 and there is talk it could fall below $3.
“If that happens, there is now way, with what the inputs cost that we have already payed for, that we can come out ahead and make a profit at below $3 corn.”
Cates says that has him considering a switch to planting more beans, although bean prices are still below his input cost.
Others in his area started planted this week and he says he hopes to have the planter rolling this weekend.
“South of me, in the bottoms where it is sandy, they are planting corn and in Waterloo, IL they are starting to plant where it is dried up on the hills.”
Cates serves on the American Soybean Association board of directors.
Interview with Daryl Cates
