“The Jobs Are Gone” March 2018
The big headlines about tariffs cause everyone in agri-business to fear that foreign countries who buy so much of American ag production will impose tariffs on us in retaliation.
Trent is concerned about corn and soybean prices being driven lower by the impact of foreign tariffs on U.S. export sales. “After all,” Trent says, “the jobs are gone already and tariffs won’t bring them back.” Trent hopes there is not a repeat of the notorious Carter grain embargo of the late 1970s which drove so much soybean production to South America.
Trent watches the weather as the planting season approaches. “It’s still a little dry,” Trent commented. The recent heavy rains did raise surface soil moisture, but Trent doesn’t think the abnormally dry conditions of the early winter have been eliminated yet. Trent thinks it’s not too wet to plant right now, “but we still have April coming.” Trent noted that the spring season “seems a little early” this year.
More from The Field Report
Dry Weather Hastens Harvest
September in central Illinois was one-to-three-inches short of average rainfall. Trent Brandenburg took full advantage of the natural drydown and good field conditions to get his crops from the field to the bin. Trent has completed his soybean harvest. He [...]
Not Quite Harvest Time Just Yet
Trent Brandenburg's earliest-planted corn is "about a week away" from drying below 25% moisture. At that level, he could lower his drying expense at the grain elevator. "Now, if there's an incentive..., " Trent indicated that an elevator offering a [...]
Replanting Done, Corn and Beans Look Good
Trent Brandenburg has replanted his few ponded field "wet spots" as many as three times. The replanted areas are "thin," Trent observed, because "It has been too wet. But at least [replanting] will keep the weeds down." Trent is now [...]