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Cost of production a major concern as drought continues

A South-Central Nebraska farmer says the cost of producing this year’s crop is a major concern partly because of historic drought.

Randy Uhrmacher tells Brownfield irrigation could be his biggest expense and may need $5 per bushel corn to breakeven. “We could easily have $100 per acre in irrigation costs.  By the time you add a couple-hundred dollars an acre for fertilizer and over $100 per acre for seed, that bits into the bottom line rather quickly.”

He says irrigation systems have been running almost non-stop since early June because rainfall has been sporadic. “(When) we get a normal short drought our soils can usually carry us through.  This long-term drought there is no extra moisture in the soil whatsoever – like the subsoil.  That’s what’s really hurting us this year.”

Uhrmacher says his area is 12 inches below the annual rainfall average since January of 2022 but crops are in remarkably decent shape.