FULL INTERVIEW: Jeff Johnson, Benson Hill Seeds
The team at Benson Hill is looking forward to increased opportunities for farmers in 2022.
Jeff Johnson, president of Benson Hill Seeds, discusses current market outlooks and trends for the new year.
?There?s macro trends we?re currently looking at,? Johnson said. ?Not just the number of consumers, but some of the consumer trends as far as the growth of the plant-based foods continuing to grow and we see lots of opportunity for that. Certainly, every cropping season has its challenges and some of the supply chain challenges. I?ve actually talked to quite a few growers here in Iowa concerned whether they will be able to get fertilizer and at what price. They are even looking at can they get some of the chemistry they need to grow their crop. We?ve even had some growers call and increase their soybean acres with us because they couldn?t pencil out corn on those acres, so that was a unique challenge this year.?
Johnson talks about how Benson Hill successfully navigated through supply chain disruptions.
?Part of that supply chain has particularly been for folks working extensively internationally,? Johnson said. ?As we look towards the 2022 planting season, our crop was grown here in North America, so we already have that seed so-to-speak in the bin and ready to deliver to growers to really start 2022 off well. Some of those supply chain challenges that others have seen, we really have planned ahead for and feel like we?re ahead of that game and weren?t significantly challenged by those.?
Johnson adds Benson Hill will have additional opportunities available for Iowa farmers in 2022.
?I think the exciting news is we?ve already contracted more acres than we did all of last year, but there?s still opportunities available for farmers here in Iowa,? Johnson said. ?We have several different products we are still contracting and because of our closed loop system, we actually have more value we can share with growers.?
To learn more, farmers can visit www.bensonhillfarmers.com or call 314-594-7624.
