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Dairy farmer echoes input cost concerns

A Wisconsin dairy farmer says his crop input costs for this spring are up considerably. 

Tom Kunkel from Cuba City in southwestern Wisconsin grows most of his own feed, and he tells Brownfield the chemical expenses for the 2022 crop took the biggest jump. “Last year, I paid like $10 a gallon for Roundup, and this year I was quoted a price of $59 a gallon.”

And fertilizer prices for his 260 acres of corn, 40 acres of oats, and 100 acres of alfalfa doubled, but he’s grateful seed prices didn’t go up as much. “Seed hasn’t been too bad, and they didn’t even raise their prices too bad, so I thank the seed industry for not jabbing us if you want to call it that, but I haven’t had any problem getting it yet.”

Konkel says he’s one of many farmers who generally don’t order until the combining is done, so he ended up paying more for waiting.

Like other farmers, Konkel is watching the supply chain issues with machinery parts. “Getting engine oil is even hard right now, so who knows what’s next?”

Konkel spoke with Brownfield during the Dairy Strong conference in Madison Wisconsin.

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