With each passing day, we’re getting closer and closer to planting season.
“You know it’s a busy time,” says Jim Douglas, who farms near Waldron in Shelby County. He also serves as a director on the United Soybean Board and is currently the chair of the Executive Committee of the Indiana Soybean Alliance.
Douglas says he and his family have been gearing up for planting.
“A lot of our inputs have been purchased, while some have not,” according to Douglas. “Fertilizer prices have been declining a little bit. There’s a lot of it’s been put on, but there is still product to get out.”
Given the current balance of commodity prices and input costs, he expects the crop rotation plan for his farm to stay the same.
“We’re not making any changes. We’re planning about the same—50/50 on corn and beans—that might vary a little bit. We are flexible and we will change some, but I’ve not heard of any major changes.”
Is he concerned about tar spot impacting his corn yields this year?
“No, we just have to deal with it. We’re scouting the crop once it’s up and can spray accordingly.”
Back in late January, Douglas traveled to Argentina with several farmers from the Indiana Soybean Alliance. He says that the trip gave him a fresh perspective on the farm operations and infrastructure we have here in the U.S.
“Our infrastructure here in the U.S. is second to none,” according to Douglas. “We’ve seen some of the obstacles that their farmers face to get their crop into the marketplace. We’re just so fortunate here in the U.S. and we take a lot of this for granted, but really when you see these other economies and what obstacles they have—We’re blessed with Mississippi River and then we can ship out on the rail, so we’re truly blessed here.”
With nearly 50 years of farming under his belt, Douglas says he’s optimistic about the upcoming growing season.
“Farmers have great intuition and they’re geared up ready to go,” says Douglas. “I think everything will go fine.”
Click BELOW for C.J. Miller’s news report and interview with Shelby County farmer Jim Douglas, as he prepares for another planting season.
