Kansas farmer changing corn acres to avoid impacts to bottom line from inputs

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Kansas farmer changing corn acres to avoid impacts to bottom line from inputs

A Northeast Kansas farmer says he will be changing his crop rotation to avoid sticker shock from fertilizer prices.

Brandon Litch grows corn, soybeans and wheat near Melvern and says he’s discovered a trend recently. “We have some bottom ground that can raise 200-bushel corn and we have some upland that doesn’t do as good.  The last few years we’ve been raising more wheat on the upland and not so much corn on the upland.”

He tells Brownfield they will raise more corn in low-lying areas where he doesn’t apply as much fertilizer. “Where we might have a little higher upside on that especially where input costs are going up to helpfully really be able to raise higher yields on some of the bottom ground versus the upland and growing some wheat and trying some double crop beans behind the wheat.”

Litch says he’s purchased most of his inputs for the growing season, but will lock nitrogen in when he finalizes his corn acres.

Brownfield interviewed him at the Kansas Soybean Expo.

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