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Prospective plantings report has good news for livestock producers

A livestock economist says even with the projected decline in corn acres – the USDA’s recent Prospective Plantings report had good news for livestock producers.

Scott Brown is with the University of Missouri.  “If we plant 90 million acres of corn and we have a decent yield – a trend yield let’s say – that’s 15 billion bushels of corn again in the bin this fall,” he says.  “That’s probably good news for livestock producers in terms of where feed costs go.”

He tells Brownfield the crop is still a long way from being in the bin.  “But, a good crop keeps feed costs much lower than we have seen in recent years,” he says.

The USDA’s Prospective Plantings report projects 90 million acres of corn and 89.5 million acres of soybeans this year.