2019 Spring Farm Outlook

2019 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine Lincoln Daily News March 21, 2019 Page 43 A marketing tool that Mr. Klockenga uses offered through Top Flight is their average pricing program. We set an amount of bushels for Top Flight to market for us and they come up with an average price. They recommended no more than 25 percent of your production. “This program takes some of the headache of marketing off of yourself,” said Jones. Jones said she would like to see less paperwork and involvement from the government since she handles all of their bookkeeping and paperwork, and some of the paperwork for the landlord. “Things like President Trump and tariffs, and no control of prices, would be beneficial. But sometimes when there is a bad season you need the assistance,” she added. Looking to the future “We are good stewards of the land. With all the new technology we have so many more useful tools to produce the grain we need to feed the world. We do everything - from different tillage practices to selecting our seed - to protect the environment the best we can and all the while raise a bountiful crop. “We have a small window to do our 2,600 acres. We know how much we have to do and take care of in a season,” said Jones. Klockenga explained how affiliation with Farm Bureau Farm Management benefits their operations, “This is a service that does our bookkeeping, tax prep, and comparative analysis. A known program to benefit every aspect of our farm operation; we use it heavily on making our financial decisions. This is a state-wide service that farmers can be affiliated.” What Mr. Klockenga likes most about farming is that his kids are farming with him. He says, “I always wanted to be a farmer,” he said. “It is great that one kernel of corn or beans multiply a hundred times.” Klockenga recommends to young farmers just getting started in making a career, to make a commitment to being a farmer. He also provided the following tips: 1. Start with another farmer who can pass their farm on. 2. Keep money that is earned to put back into farming. 3. Link up with mentors. There are fantastic stories of farming out there. 4. Bring your experiences home. 5. He suggests doing an interview to work on the family farm to make sure ‘yes’ it is their desire to become a farmer. Continue 8