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Farmer says he’s pleasantly surprised with 2022 and preparing for 2023

East Central Indiana farmer Aaron Chalfant says 2022 had its bright spots despite ongoing challenges in the ag industry.

“2022 yields for us and a lot of people I talked to were pleasantly surprising,” he says. “As dry as June was, as late as this crop went in, to see the yield we saw, we were pleasantly surprised. We have a good price for this crop and it’s maintaining and it’s not falling back.”

He says that’s helping farmers combat high costs of production.  

“Equipment costs and input costs and everything is staying at record high right now, but the price that we’re getting out of the market is sustainable for the time being,” he says. “Now, normally that price drops back before all the inputs do so I think hard times could be coming.”

As for 2023, he says, “normally that (commodity) price drops back before all the inputs do so I think hard times potentially could be coming…What 2023 holds is unclear. We’re hopeful but we’re preparing none the less, just like every year.

Chalfant farms with his brothers and father. They run a row crop operation, contract finish hogs, and operate a custom manure pumping business.