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Fall harvest is starting to wind down. For most farmers, the dry August-September weather hurt yields. I have heard corn yields from 120-180 bushels and 30-60 bushels soybeans where moisture was limiting most of the summer. A few farmers tell me they got good rains until August and are getting 150-220 bushels corn with 50-75 bushels soybeans. One farmer had excellent yields, with good rain but also irrigation, so his yields were 250-270 on corn and around 70+ bushel on soybeans. Generally, rain makes grain if it comes in moderation.  For most of Ohio, especially Southeast Ohio, this was one of the worst droughts in many years. With improved genetics, crops have adapted to drier weather conditions, so crop yields generally are a little higher. However, with high fertilizer prices and low crop prices, even slightly lower yields are devastating to crop profits. In the agriculture world, ag is going through at least a recession if not a depression.  One thing farmers always talk about is t

An important date for farmers has passed. The Farm Bill officially expired on September 30, 2024. What happens next? Various farm bill commodity support programs will be extended until the end of the year, but then they need to be replaced. Congress has a guarantee, built into the law, based on parity, but almost all experts expect that Congress will need to prevent return of these old programs, so expect some type of action soon on a farm bill.  The current farm bill has been in place since 2018 and extended. The last several years, climate-focused conservation programs have been a major focus. Programs on storing carbon long-term and reducing greenhouse gases have been a priority, but the base money for that program has run out. The new Inflation Reduction Act added $18 billion dollars for climate-smart or climate-related conservation programs, and that does not run out until 2031. Examples include the Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP),

Agriculture, in general, has entered a period of financial crisis. With lower crop prices and below average yields, farm income is much lower. The lack of rain in August and early September resulted in average soybeans yields around 40-50 bushel plus/minus. I am hearing yields ranging from 130 to 220 bushel on corn, but most farmers tell me they are averaging 180 bushel or less, but takes almost 200 bushel to break even. So, farmers are hurting financially. Soybeans were so dry (as low as 4-8% moisture) that many beans shattered and many early harvested soybeans fields had a perfect new crop of soybeans growing after a rain in late September, but most are gone now with frost.  Some small farmers may be looking at alternative farm enterprises to supplement their farm income. Regular commodities row crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat have a lower profit margin and farmers make money when they produce high volume or yield. Alternative farm enterprises may improve farm profitability by i

Many farmers spend a lifetime accumulating land and investing in their farms. Most farmers have a desire to transition their assets and operations to the next generation. It’s complicated and time-consuming, so it takes a team of professionals to help and give advice on farm transition planning. A professional team can help farm families figure out all the issues involved in farm estate planning. Here are some tips taken directly from The Ohio State University Extension on how to get started. For more information, go to: https ://farmoffice.osu.edu /blog -tags /estate -planning . Don’t jump right to the plan—talk first. An important first step to building a plan is getting the family talking and thinking. Ohio State University Extension has a farm management team that can assist with the initial steps. David Marrison, OSU Extension, recommends strategies for working with farm families, including understanding the legacy, encouraging the family to assess its strengths, weaknesses, oppor