Prices have been updated after the May 10^th USDA Supply & Demand report. The weather has caused quite a bit of uncertainty for this time of year in regard to planting decisions. However, this will be cleared up this month. Weather more so than profitability may dictate planting decisions this year. Today’s USDA report gives us the first glimpse into 2013 production and projected prices. The midpoint of USDA’s price projections are $4.70 bushel corn, $0.78 pound cotton ($0.86 with seed rebate, etc.), $4.30 bushel grain sorghum, $10.50 bushel soybeans, and $6.80 bushel wheat. All these prices are below the breakeven prices at the bottom of the table. Producers may want to consider that as we go through the production year and look for pricing opportunities. Breakeven prices are calculated at average yields and the specified costs including variable, land and fixed cost. Prices will vary depending on location and buyers. This table should be used as a guide as yields, prices, and expenses will vary among producers and locations. Yields are average yields for Tennessee with prices adjusted for the 2013 production year. Expenses will vary among producers and production systems. One of the expense items that have to be watched is fertilizer. For reference, in variable expenses below, fertilizer expense per acre is estimated as follows: cotton – $ 150, Soybeans – $53, Corn – $170 (includes 150 units of N), Milo – $136, and wheat/soybeans – $131. Weed control costs with resistant weeds have also been difficult to estimate. These costs will vary greatly among producers and individual fields.  Production costs are estimates based on the 2013 University of Tennessee Crop Budgets, these costs will be updated as warranted as we go through the year. Please visit with your farm supplier on estimated cost in your area. Producers with owned land and or cash rent can use Returns Over Variable as a guide in decision making. Producers with share rent ground should use Returns Over Variable and Land Costs as a guide with their appropriate share rent calculated. A land cost of 25% of revenue is used in the table as a guide or method of comparison and should not be construed as the appropriate rent for a particular area. Producers who are not making major equipment changes can use UT budgets and this table as a guide in developing their own cropping decision budgets. If equipment changes are being made, then a whole farm financial plan would be better suited as a decision aid. Please contact your local County Extension office or Area Specialist – Farm Management for assistance in developing your own budget or farm financial plan.

Some differences have occurred due to rounding.