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Remaining diverse to stay ahead

A Michigan farmer says crop diversity pays during times of low commodity prices.

Brian Totzke grows corn, soybeans, wheat, grapes and rhubarb in Baroda, in Michigan’s southwest. He says growing a diversity of crops is helping his family stay in business.  “We’re always looking for ways to increase profitability and if that means diving into another crop or potentially livestock, we always bounce these ideas off one another throughout the year.”

He suspects this summer’s hot, dry conditions will hinder corn and soybean yields but says it has helped his vineyards.  “It was good for the grapes in the sense that it just helped push that crop along, it’s a bigger crop than normal.”

Totzke says grape harvest is expected in about three weeks and harvest will continue nonstop for the following two months for the remaining crops.

AUDIO: Interview with Brian Totzke