MONROE - Crops look good for 2016, although totals will not be certain until the end of harvest in mid-October, Green County Agricultural Agent Mark Mayer said.
"We're looking at close to record yields for Green County," Mayer said. "Probably for corn, and it is likely for beans."
Though the record-breaking designation cannot be confirmed until spring, Mayer said crops avoided a number of issues farmers usually deal with, and especially within the last few years, such as white mold or sudden death syndrome in soybeans.
Unfortunately for local farmers like John Diekoff, the positive year for crops does not alleviate several months of low milk prices, and if demand is low because of a good growing season, the crop prices are lower.
"Of course, a good year generally drives crop prices down," Diekoff said.
Diekoff grew corn, soybeans and alfalfa this year. While he noticed corn prices were slightly lower than in previous years last week at his local elevator, he knows the effect will be more meaningful to farmers who sell their corn rather than feed it to cattle, as he does with his corn crops.
The weather has been the deciding factor in the good growing year, he added.
"It's been a terrific crop year," Diekoff said. "The weather has been really good. There really isn't any reason we wouldn't have a good crop year."
Mayer agreed. He said that while the slight dip in prices because of a higher supply definitely benefits crop buyers rather than the sellers, it is still a preferable situation to last year and the dry summer which obliterated a number of crops.
"I think most farmers would have low prices and high quantity rather than low yields with less crops," Mayer said. "While $7 corn is nice, it doesn't do any good if you don't have any in the bin."
"We're looking at close to record yields for Green County," Mayer said. "Probably for corn, and it is likely for beans."
Though the record-breaking designation cannot be confirmed until spring, Mayer said crops avoided a number of issues farmers usually deal with, and especially within the last few years, such as white mold or sudden death syndrome in soybeans.
Unfortunately for local farmers like John Diekoff, the positive year for crops does not alleviate several months of low milk prices, and if demand is low because of a good growing season, the crop prices are lower.
"Of course, a good year generally drives crop prices down," Diekoff said.
Diekoff grew corn, soybeans and alfalfa this year. While he noticed corn prices were slightly lower than in previous years last week at his local elevator, he knows the effect will be more meaningful to farmers who sell their corn rather than feed it to cattle, as he does with his corn crops.
The weather has been the deciding factor in the good growing year, he added.
"It's been a terrific crop year," Diekoff said. "The weather has been really good. There really isn't any reason we wouldn't have a good crop year."
Mayer agreed. He said that while the slight dip in prices because of a higher supply definitely benefits crop buyers rather than the sellers, it is still a preferable situation to last year and the dry summer which obliterated a number of crops.
"I think most farmers would have low prices and high quantity rather than low yields with less crops," Mayer said. "While $7 corn is nice, it doesn't do any good if you don't have any in the bin."