Farm Report: Corn Production Value Down

SPRINGFIELD – Though drought-fueled prices for corn increased in 2012, Illinois farmers managed just $9,325,313,000 in production value for the crop, down just less than $3 million from 2011 and $1 million in 2010, according to the USDA-NASS Illinois Farm Report, issued March 25. The reduction in production value for corn came at a time when the average price for corn ($7.25/bu.) far eclipsed average prices for 2011 ($6.25) and 2010 ($5.24). Agronomists agree that the drought gripping much of the Midwest during July and August of last year was the main contributing factor to the loss in production.

Later-planted soybeans, however, provided farmers with a reliable production value of $5,599,976,000, spurred by the average price received of $14.60/bu. The total production value for 2012 was affected to a lesser degree by the drought; the numbers could have been better based on production and average prices for 2011 ($5,417,280,000 and $12.80/bu.) and 2010 ($5,499,685,000 and $11.80/bu.). Production values also increased in Illinois for market sweet corn, pumpkins, oats and sorghum for grain, snap beans and alfalfa hay.

Farmland Values Surge Continues

FORSYTH – As Ken Aupperle prepared his presentation for the 2013 Illinois Land Values Conference, held March 13-14 in Bloomington, an interesting bit of news reached his desk as president of the realty company Heartland Ag Group, Ltd.: a 173-acre farm had been auctioned in Champaign County for $15,375 an acre, a record high for the region. The news confirmed what Aupperle was preparing to share with the 70-plus members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers (ISPFMRA), who would assemble later in the week in Bloomington– that farmland values in Illinois would continue to rise.

“We had a survey of our membership, and our membership said that farmland values will rise between five and ten percent in 2013. They said to look for rising values this year and to take it one step further, they’re looking for the five-year trend to be positive,” said Aupperle, who served as chairman for the 2013 Illinois Land Values Conference, where the ISPFMRA’s 2012 Statewide Land Values and Lease Trends Report was unveiled to members, the public and media on March 14. The report showed that farmland values in Illinois had expanded their double digit annual increase through 2012, Aupperle revealed.

“Our excellent quality farmland went up 21 percent in 2012,” he said. “That was the third year of double-digit increases totaling 65 percent over the past three years. The average price was just a touch under $13,000 per acre for prime farmland across the state. (The market) is like popcorn popping right now.”

River Sustainment Act Lauded by ICGA

BLOOMINGTON – Could this be the year that waterways infrastructure gets the attention– and more importantly, the funding– from Congress that it deserves? Many in agriculture are hopeful this is the case, with the word from Washington being that Senate and House leaders are ready to act on a number of bills in front of them laying out new, public-private funding mechanisms for river-related needs such as lock and dam repairs. A bipartisan piece of legislation sponsored by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D), along with Rep. Bill Enyart (D) and Republican Rep. Rodney Davis– the Mississippi River Navigation Act– was recently introduced to help lawmakers ascertain what steps are needed to ensure the uninterrupted flow of goods on the Mississippi River, including lock and dam improvements.

“It is gratifying to see a bipartisan effort in Washington, D.C., that recognizes the importance of the Mississippi River to our nation’s economy,” said Paul Taylor, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association and a family farmer from Esmond, in a news release. “Last year’s extreme drought had many consequences, not the least of which was the low-water levels on the Mid-Mississippi River earlier this winter. The low water impacted not only corn farmers, but all river transportation stakeholders, and by extension, consumers and those employed directly and indirectly by the the river transportation industry.

“However unfortunate the drought and low water levels, the situation did provide for an excellent opportunity to illustrate the damage that can be done if the Mississippi River were to shut down due to natural or man-made causes. This bill represents a common sense approach to learning from what happened this winter and making improvements throughout the system so that in the future, we can do a better job of keeping America moving.”

In related news, Durbin was recently honored by the Waterways Council, Inc. with their 12th annual Leadership Award in Washington. The award was given to Durbin in recognition of his leadership during the low water issues that threatened river commerce in December and January, and his longtime support of America’s inland waterways.

Woodford, McLean & Livingston Agronomy Day Set

BLOOMINGTON – The Asmark Agricenter, 14171 Carole Drive in Bloomington, will be the setting for the University of Illinois Extension’s three-county Agronomy Day for Livingston, McLean and Woodford counties. The event runs from 9 am to 3 pm on Monday, April 1, with registration beginning at 8:45. Morning presenters include Extension experts Dennis Bowman (Insect Resistance Issues for 2013), Aaron Hager (Herbicide Resistance and Weed Control) and Dan Schafer (Keep it for the Crop 2025). The afternoon roster includes presentations by Kelly Alsup (Integrated Pest Management), Chuck Spencer (Legislative and Regulatory Update) and Dr. Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois Water Survey (Weather Outlook for 2013).

Certified crop advisors in attendance can qualify for continuing education units in the nutrient management, integrated pest management, professional development and soil and water management categories. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. There is no fee for the event, which you can register for by visiting http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/ or by calling your Extension office. (Ill. Corn Daily Update)

Illinois Farm Fact:

The number of farms in Illinois declined by 300 in 2012, with 74,300 farms of all economic sales class counted. Farms valued at $1,000 to $9,999 declined by 800, while those valued at $500,000 or more increased by 1,000. (USDA-NASS Illinois Field Office)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for the News Bulletin, Farm World and many other publications.)