Farmers across the US are hoping to buck recent weather trends and are planting one of the largest corn crops in recent history.
Last year’s drought was devastating to farmers and ranchers across the country. Corn farmers in particular saw their financial positions diminish significantly. Going from planting the largest corn crop in decades, farmers across the country instead experienced the worst drought in more than fifty years and watched helplessly as their crops withered and their profits plunged.
Many corn farmers, particularly in the hard-hit Midwest, were only saved from financial ruin by federal crop insurance programs.
According to a crop report issued by the US Department of Agriculture, farmers are making a second attempt at last year’s corn crop, and are planning to plant 97.3 million acres of corn. If this crop is fully realized, it would be the largest since the 1930s.
Despite this optimism, there remain several variables that could derail these efforts. Climatologists have predicted another drought this summer. In addition, the dry soil, a holdover from last summer’s brutal weather, could complicate the planned planting.
The potential gains, however, could be major. According to a crop economists at the Farm Bureau, “If these early planting and yield projections are realized, corn and soybeans stocks will increase, which would ultimately lead to lower feed costs for livestock and poultry farmers.”
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer