I don’t know that we can say this enough, but it is an exciting time to be in agriculture! I have noticed that producers appear to be more optimistic this year than they have in years past. Actually, the term might be more cautiously optimistic as there are many potential roadblocks on the road to profitability. Prices are at a level where average yields can generally produce a reasonable profit if cost of production doesn’t dramatically increase. It appears that input costs, although maybe higher than last year, are not so high to curtail profitability. The unknown such as weather which affects everything from timeliness of planting, chemical activation, and ultimately yields controls a major portion of our costs of production.
As mid-April is here, there is probably not a more critical or important farm operation than planting. Planting on a timely basis generally means planting when the soil temperature and soil moisture are at an optimum level. The optimum time period is usually narrow so producers will have some crop planted in less than optimum conditions. Producers should examine each year and map out their planting as respect to their cropping plan and be ready to go when the time is right. Planters are like any other equipment or technology and have seen advancements over the years. One advancement is Automatic Section Control (ASC) technology. Simply, the technology turns planter sections or rows off in areas that have been previously planted or on and off at headland turns, point rows, terraces, and or waterways. Research conducted in Tennessee by Extension economist Margarita Velandia, Extension ag engineer and soil scientist Mike Buschermohle, and ag engineering and soil science graduate assistant Brandon Jernigan has shown an economic benefit from this technology. Other benefits include reduced overlapping, improved overall planter accuracy, increased operator efficiency, and reduced operator fatigue. Producers should consider adding this technology to an existing planter or purchasing with a new planter. Irregular shaped fields seem to benefit the most from ASC.
Producers who year after year seem to plant a sufficient part of their crop outside the optimum planting window may want to consider purchasing an additional planter or having some acres custom planted. Closely evaluate your planter capacity for this year and make adjustments if necessary. The increased yield which should occur as a result of planting in the optimum period may or may not offset the increased cost for an additional planter. The amount of acreage per planter would be a key decision factor. Having some acreage custom planted may also be a solution If you need assistance in evaluating your planter economics, contact your County Extension office or in Tennessee call the MANAGEment Information Line at 1-800-345-0561.
