Page 2 October 25, 2013 2013 LOGAN COUNTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
2013 year in review
T
he 2013 year has been one of
ups and downs again. Up are
the corn and soybean yields
being harvested by local producers.
Down are the prices. Net income
for farmers could be well below the
2012-2013 marketing season. Also
up were the input costs to grow an
acre of corn or soybeans.
The
showed $563 per acre in non-
land costs, and subtracting this
from the estimated income left
$409 for operator and land costs
(source: Gary Schnitkey, University
of Illinois). That was figuring
198-bushel corn yields at $4.80
per bushel. Yields are somewhat
variable, but the cash price is
running well short of the $4.80.
On the soybean side, the same crop
budgets were figured on 57-bushel
soybean yields at $11.75 per acre.
The non-land costs were estimated at
$350 per acre, leaving $342 per acre
for operator return and land costs.
Soybean yields have also had some
variation, but prices have allowed
October sales above those levels.
The hay and pasture yields have also
been affected by the 2012 drought
and the 2013 drought.
Yes, we have once again experienced
drought in the central Illinois area,
with moderate drought increasing
the number of acres affected as fall
has progressed. The main difference
was that the 2013 year began with
more moisture in the soil, and the
dry weather appeared about a month
later than in 2012.
Hay supplies have remained tight,
with relatively high prices, and
pastures have either been good or
poor, depending on the stand loss
experienced last year.
John Fulton is the U of I
Extension director for Logan,
Menard and Sangamon counties
