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Specialty crops help Nebraska farmer withstand market pressure

Specialty crops on a Central Nebraska farm is helping a farmer diversify his operation.

Clay Govier of Broken Bow plants 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans but has a long list of specialty crops: rye, yellow field peas, organic corn, and red kidney beans. “We’re trying to do more sustainable practices, soil health practices that will improve the resiliency of our farm.”

He tells Brownfield since yellow peas are a cold season legume, it gives them a chance to plant a warm season cover crop. “We’ve already planted them. I finished spraying those fields last night actually,” he said. “It adds more diversity to your rotation and it breaks up weeks cycles.

Govier says current commodity prices have led to small changes. “We normally plant a lot more yellow peas than we are this year just because of the increase in corn and soybean prices we’ve opted to switch some acres from yellow peas to corn and soybeans.”

Govier says even with the resurgence of the corn market, it won’t change any of their rotations.