Organic crop farmer’s supply chain concerns focused on parts

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Organic crop farmer’s supply chain concerns focused on parts

An organic corn and soybean farmer is concerned supply chain bottlenecks will disrupt the next growing season.

Carolyn Olson of Cottonwood in west-central Minnesota tells Brownfield she understands why conventional farmers are worried about the cost and availability of crop inputs going into 2022.

“We do have that advantage where we’re not as reliant on some of those parts of the supply chain, but we do need cultivator parts and the metal that comes with equipment.”

She says they use cultivator parts made by a German company.

“So we do worry about being able to get things delivered in a timely manner. They don’t have a huge inventory in the United States (and) have had shutdowns and labor issues in Germany as well.”

Olson, who serves as vice president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, says she’s also anxious about the cost of routine maintenance on tractors and rising fuel prices.

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