It’s that time of year when tractors roar to life and Ohio’s farmers start planting — as long as it’s dry. And so far, it’s been a wet and cold spring off and on.
Planting season can be the most stressful time of year for crop farmers because getting the planting right is critical to yielding a good crop, said Jon Miller, a grain farmer in Fairfield County.
“The joy outweighs the stress but definitely this is planting season at our operation and (there is) the stress of whether you’re planting the right day, the temperature’s right, the ground conditions are right,” Miller said in between planting soybeans in a field near Pleasantville.
Weather is the number one thing on Ohio crop farmers’ minds right now, Miller said, but a dip in the price of corn and soybeans is also weighing heavily on them.
“The price of our commodity has taken a big dive over the last year. That’s at the forefront of our mind,” said John Hummel, Franklin County Farm Bureau president. Hummel farms corn and soybeans near Canal Winchester.
“They’re expecting record droughts in farm income,” Hummel said. “It seems like inputs and all this equipment’s not getting any cheaper, but the price of grain has been cut by about 30% (in the past year).”
The American Farm Bureau Federation is predicting the largest ever annual drop in farmers’ income this year after paying for operating expenses: more than 25% compared to 2023. What farmers are getting paid for their crops and livestock is down while the cost of supplies like fertilizer, labor, and pesticides are up, according to the federation.
Plus locally, Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Madison and Pickaway counties had full property reappraisals last year, increasing taxes for some, Hummel pointed out.
Commodity prices are down compared to a year ago for both soybeans and corn, Ohio’s two biggest agricultural products. This is partly because the supply outweighs the demand right now, according to Miller, who chairs the Ohio Corn Checkoff, a marketing program.
The U.S. had a large grain crop last year, Hummel said. Both Miller and Hummel said their silos are still pretty full of last year’s crop of corn and soybeans.
Feeling the pinch, Hummel said he likely won’t upgrade equipment this year as he’d like to or experiment with more expensive innovations like different fertilizers. But he won’t plant less this year.
“We’re too set up to swap corn fields and bean fields every year,” Hummel said.
David Black, a member of the Ohio Soybean Council, farms soybean, corn and wheat in Franklin County, near the Pickaway County border. He had hoped to replace his aging soybean planter this year but chose to replace worn out parts instead.
Facing headwinds, Miller said Ohio corn farmers are hopeful that new markets for ethanol fuel will provide some relief.
Airlines are forging ahead with plans to transition to use ethanol to fuel their planes.
And more ethanol is being pushed at the gas pump. Sheetz, which has expanded rapidly in Ohio in recent years, offers E15, also known as unleaded 88, a higher-ethanol gas blend that is often cheaper than other gasolines.
What drivers need to know:Unleaded 88 fuel is spreading in Ohio, but is it good for your car and the climate?
“It’s kind of a win-win because it’s an Ohio-grown product made from corn, and the consumer in Ohio can maybe save a few cents at the pump,” Miller said.
There are currently 95 Sheetz locations in Ohio and 25 locations in Columbus offering unleaded 88, according to the company.
