News

Ukraine’s ag production carries on amid war

(Archived Photo: Brownfield’s Brent Barnett interviews Ukrainian farmer Kees Huizinga at the 2022 NAFB Convention in Kansas City, Missouri)

A Ukrainian farmer says crop production continues despite Russia’s more than yearlong invasion of the country.

Kees Huizinga says Russia has reduced its targeted attacks on agricultural warehouses.

“We can still farm,” he said. “We can still buy our inputs and we can buy fuel. Fertilizer has been extremely expensive, but it’s cheaper now.”

He tells Brownfield Ukrainian farmers have faced a lot of uncertainty over the last year.

“Ukraine deserves support from the whole world to fight Russia,” Huizinga said. “Otherwise, we will end up in a police state and it will be impossible for me to live here, farm here, and to feed the world.”

Huizinga says the growing season is in full swing and he plans to harvest corn at the end of November.