While Mother Nature has been unable to make up her mind if she wants sunny or rainy weather this week, Iowa farmers are mostly thankful that we are getting precipitation to build up soil moistures to start the year.
The flip side of that coin is that Iowa farmers are also chomping at the bit to get into the field. We need to have a dry start so farmers can roll the planters through quickly and get the seeds off to a good start.
We also know that Chicago has been constantly pressing the panic button on the rain across the corn belt. Anything that isn?t showing us a perfect window to have crops already planted is increasing volatility and adding to the narrative that we may not have a perfect crop this year. Looking at the supply sheets, you can understand where investors and marketers are getting antsy. However, before you work yourself into an ulcer, we still have time.
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig is one of those many farmers who is ready to get into the field, but also understands the importance of needing the right conditions and is thankful for the rains we are getting to replenish the soil.
Beyond planting conditions, there are other factors of which Iowa Farmers need to be aware. With a different Administration comes a different leader of EPA, and that brings a different set of politically charged rules that producers will have to follow. It is no different in any administration. However, this time around it is handcuffing farmers on crop protection. Secretary Naig talks about what you need to know as you move from planting to crop protection.
Fertilizers are already a problem in the supply chain and with cost. The war in Ukraine, we are having even more economic sanctions and political barriers to getting our supplies from Russia. Naig weighs in on the need for these foreign sources of fertilizer and global supply to be more secure. This war needs to end from the human perspective and less importantly, the supply chain perspective.
As a farmer, Naig talks about what things are looking like at his family farm in Northern Iowa.
To learn more about the work being done by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, visit their website.
