Ohio Farmer Talks about Wheat Crop Yield
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
Ohio wheat fields are prime condition - and that’s good news for farmers in the state, as the wheat harvest has just begun. The state has already started to harvest some wheat, with about four per cent already harvested thus far.
The Farms.com Risk Management Team hit the road for its third annual 2014 Corn Belt Tour. Moe Agostino, who heads the Farms.com Risk Management team, will be visiting a state a day for twelve days. On day one of the tour, Agostino made a whistle stop in Ohio, where he was able to talk to a farmer about his wheat crop.
Corn Belt Tour: Ohio Wheat Grower Featured
The farmer (who is featured in the video below), speaks with Agostino about the progress being made on the wheat harvest. Between the farmer and Agostino, they were able to provide some insight into the wheat crop and comment in general about the corn crops in the region. The video which was shot at a wheat field in Martinsville, Ohio, shows combines harvesting the field - a nice backdrop to discuss the much anticipated yields.
According to the Martinsville-area farmer, he is getting more than 100 bushels per acre on the field that he was standing in, and that’s two years back to back. He says that some of his wheat will be sold for seed, while the rest will be sold on the market to make cookies and crackers. The farmer noted that Ohio is known as the state for Oreo cookies.
Overall, the farmer is pleased with his crop, explaining that there are two large millers in the area that like to buy wheat form his farm. “We got a really good crop,” he said. Agostino asked the farmer about what has been perceived as almost ideal growing weather in the state, and the farmer responds by saying that he thinks it has been a little too wet for his liking.
The field that they are standing in has had about 45 inches of rain since October 1, when it was first planted. “Normally that’s too much,” explained the farmer. “It only needs about 25 inches.”
Agostino concludes the interview by asking the farmer to comment on the “greenhouse effect,” and whether or not corn fields have the potential to reach 107-180 bushel range. The farmer, who has been on crop tours himself, says that while he is cautiously optimistic, he thinks that the yield is there.
Want to follow the 2014 U.S. Corn Belt Crop Tour?
Visit the Farms.com Risk Management website for a day-by-day overview, or follow us on Twitter at @RiskMarketing. The official hashtag for the tour is #CornBelt14.