Farmers weigh management decisions against El Niño trends

The President of DF Seeds says cropping decisions will be a balancing act for farmers trying to maintain profitability.

Janna Fritz tells Brownfield, “Farmers are continuing that method of not over-expensing things, not looking for excess, really honing in on quantities and needs, best opportunities and looking at data more critically.”

She says a strong El Niño winter, trending warmer and wetter, leaves many unknowns heading into spring.

“Agronomically, one thing we are talking about, and we will keep an eye out for next year—mild winters mean the lack of a freeze and cold temperatures, and how that might impact disease and bugs for next year,” she says.

A recent University of Kentucky Extension analysis of strong El Niño winters over the past 75 years found that wheat yields in the Southern Plains states were above average the following crop year.

While corn yields in the western Corn Belt states were slightly improved, production in the eastern Corn Belt dipped slightly.

Soybean yields across the region were slightly higher, especially in the Central U.S.