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Farmer says rising inputs will likely force changes in 2022

A northwest Ohio farmer says rising input costs are forcing him to make some changes for the 2022 growing season.

Jerry Bambauer says they’ve already decided to cut back on the pounds of applied nitrogen they use per acre.  “We plan to utilize as much of the chicken litter nitrogen as we can,” he says.  “We’re hearing stories in the $500- and $600-dollar range, we’ve also heard rumors out here that it could go over $1,000 by spring.”

He tells Brownfield the battle for acres could get very interesting next year.  “People who do not have the product in hand, and if it would make up to $1,000 range, would likely switch out from corn and go to soybeans,” he says. 

Bambauer says there is also concern about the availability of crop protection products.  “Increases are running anywhere from 5% to 300 to 400%,” he says.  “Availability seems tough to find a lot of it.  And when we find something that they are going to give us, we grab it and take it home.”

While they’re starting to plan for the 2022 growing season, he says they’re also still trying to wrap up this year’s harvest.