A late start for spring planting could take money out of farmers’ pockets and add to the pressure on food prices.

Blame it on cold, wet weather. This is the slowest start for planting corn and soybeans, the state’s biggest crops, in 12 years, according to a weekly Wisconsin crop report issued Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture office in Madison.

Late planting results in fewer days in the growing season. That could result in reduced crop yields this fall and a drop in farmers’ incomes.

It could cost Ross Bishop, a farmer from Washington County, tens of thousands of dollars on corn that he’s planting as quickly as the weather allows.

Cold, wet soil has kept Bishop and other farmers from getting crops planted on time.

If the weather doesn’t improve soon, Bishop figures that his corn harvest could be reduced from about 150 bushels per acre to 120 bushels.

That could cost him $54,000 in gross income, based on the current corn price that’s fluctuating between $6 and $7 per bushel.

“Normally I am done planting corn between the 15th and 18th of May, but we are behind now,” Bishop said.

Currently, only about 29 percent of Wisconsin’s corn is in the ground, compared with 65 percent a year ago. Only about 6 percent of the state’s soybeans are planted, compared with 24 percent a year ago, and only 49 percent of the oats are planted, compared with 91 percent at this time in 2007.

This year, rising fertilizer costs and other planting expenses have given farmers anxious moments as they plan their budgets for the year.

It’s one reason why they want to get seeds sown as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the yield potential declines a little bit every day.

“The pressure is on to get going. Small grains especially do much better if you get them in the ground early,” said Sue Beitlich, president of Wisconsin Farmers Union.

It takes warm soil for seeds to germinate, and the ground is still too cold or too wet for planting in some Wisconsin counties.

Farmers, like many people, are craving warmer weather with lots of sunshine.

“Growing corn is all about capturing solar energy,” said Paul Mitchell, assistant professor of agricultural economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

In a March survey, U.S. farmers said they would plant 8.1 percent less corn this year but still the second-largest acreage since 1949. Soybean acreage will rise 18 percent, according to the USDA survey.

Corn planting is behind schedule throughout the Upper Midwest.

“Each week that goes by pushes farmers to plant in less-than-ideal conditions to get the crops in the ground,” said Terry Jones, who farms more than 6,000 acres near Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

June 1 is a pivotal date for Wisconsin farmers. If they haven’t planted corn by then, they may have to reconsider their decisions.

“I am sure farmers here will continue planting corn through the end of the month. After that, they will probably shift to soybeans,” said Mike Ballweg, a University of Wisconsin Extension agent in Sheboygan County.

In Waukesha County, most spring tillage is done except for low spots and valleys that remain too wet. Some Waukesha County farmers are losing up to 3 acres per field because of the wet conditions, according to the weekly crop report.

Statewide, there was an average of 4.3 days suitable for field work last week, according to the crop report.

A week ago, only about 4 percent of the state’s corn crop was planted—far below the five-year average of 34 percent.

With rain moving in and out of southern Wisconsin, farmers have been planting between showers and hoping for drier fields.

“They’re basically chasing down fields, one at a time, as the weather allows it,” said Nick Schneider, a UW Extension agent in Winnebago County.

Monday, soybean futures for July delivery fell 15.5 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $13.425 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade. Still, the price has soared 79 percent in the past year, reaching a record $15.8625 on March 3 on increased demand for animal feed, vegetable oils and biofuel.

“The long and short of it is that beans will remain in tight supply for another year,” said Terry Francl, American Farm Bureau Federation senior economist.

Corn futures for July delivery fell 14.5 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $6.1475 a bushel, after touching a record $6.39 on May 9.

Dairy farmers and livestock producers haven’t always welcomed high prices for corn and soybeans, two important animal feed ingredients. Also, the higher prices have been blamed for rising food prices in the grocery store.

“Pork and chicken prices are really going to start jumping,” said Mitchell, of UW-Madison.

Author: Rick Barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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