News

Indiana farmer says he’s yet to plant a single acre

Northeast Indiana farmer Roger Hadley says he’s never experienced a spring like this one.  “The planter is hooked up an in the shed,” he says.  “It has not seen the first acre yet for either corn or soybeans.”

He tells Brownfield not only has planting been delayed, but they’ve barely been able to get any pre-plant fieldwork accomplished this spring.  “We haven’t sprayed any acres yet to kill the first weeds because it hasn’t been dry enough,” he says.  “And after the last nitrogen application we got like 4.5 inches of rain – so hopefully we have enough left to do some good.”

Hadley says the weather forecast combined with fast-approaching prevented plant dates in the Eastern Corn Belt, and last week’s announcement of the Market Facilitation Program put him in a difficult position for the remainder of the spring.  “A part of us says we need to take prevented plant,” he says.  “But there’s rumor out there that there are more details to come that would require us to plant cover crops.”

He says by the time he tallies up his expenses, “I might have $50 left to buy groceries on for the next couple of months.”

Hadley farms in Allen County, Indiana – about 1 mile from the Indiana/Ohio state line.