Corn Crops Paying Off for Arkansas Farmers
By: Josh Berry
Updated: September 14, 2012
Arkansas farmers are seeing record numbers for this year's harvest.
Warm spring temps allowed their crops to beat the heat of summer and now they're reaping big profits.
This may seem like a surprise how these farmers held up through a summer scarred by a drought.
Many crop producing states have seen much lower yields because of the tough weather conditions.
According to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture however, corn crops in the state have produced the highest yield in five years.
It's thanks in part to a warm spring, and early harvest.
"The corn has just been exceptional," said farmer, Michael Krablin as they were harvesting a plot of corn crop.
He doesn't yet know exactly how much they'll make off of this harvest, but from the looks of how other farmers are holding up, he's excited.
Despite the drought, corn yield in Arkansas is projected at 160 bushels per acre. That's up from 142 last year.
On Krablin's crop he expects more than 200.
While the price of corn did go up, so did their inputs.
"We will make some money this year but it's cost us a lot of money," Krablin said.
Diesel, seed, and irrigation are all expenses that have taken away from overall profit.
In fact, he said it cost them 20 to 30 percent more to put this corn crop in that other years.
Without this year's mounds of corn bringing back record returns, he's not even sure they could keep going.
"The yield this year is what's going to keep us in business."
Each bushel of corn is expected to bring in over 8 dollars. But still having a future in farming he said is worth much more.
"I don't know if you could put a dollar figure on how important it is."
Corn isn't the only crop doing well. Cotton, sorghum, rice and soybeans have all seen a jump.
While the farmers may be getting a good payback, consumers, like hunters buying the big bags of corn, are sometimes paying double what they normally would.
Warm spring temps allowed their crops to beat the heat of summer and now they're reaping big profits.
This may seem like a surprise how these farmers held up through a summer scarred by a drought.
Many crop producing states have seen much lower yields because of the tough weather conditions.
According to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture however, corn crops in the state have produced the highest yield in five years.
It's thanks in part to a warm spring, and early harvest.
"The corn has just been exceptional," said farmer, Michael Krablin as they were harvesting a plot of corn crop.
He doesn't yet know exactly how much they'll make off of this harvest, but from the looks of how other farmers are holding up, he's excited.
Despite the drought, corn yield in Arkansas is projected at 160 bushels per acre. That's up from 142 last year.
On Krablin's crop he expects more than 200.
While the price of corn did go up, so did their inputs.
"We will make some money this year but it's cost us a lot of money," Krablin said.
Diesel, seed, and irrigation are all expenses that have taken away from overall profit.
In fact, he said it cost them 20 to 30 percent more to put this corn crop in that other years.
Without this year's mounds of corn bringing back record returns, he's not even sure they could keep going.
"The yield this year is what's going to keep us in business."
Each bushel of corn is expected to bring in over 8 dollars. But still having a future in farming he said is worth much more.
"I don't know if you could put a dollar figure on how important it is."
Corn isn't the only crop doing well. Cotton, sorghum, rice and soybeans have all seen a jump.
While the farmers may be getting a good payback, consumers, like hunters buying the big bags of corn, are sometimes paying double what they normally would.
