More Corn
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Chuck Denney
Knee-high and growing, this corn crop is off to a solid start. When it’s harvested, we could eat it or put it in our gas tanks.
Tim Campbell
“I’m estimating we’ll probably have 35 to 40 thousand acres here in the county.”
Chuck Denney
That’s nearly double Dyer County’s usual corn crop, and it’s not exactly a mystery why.
Tim Campbell
“Because of the potential for ethanol production, of which corn is a part of that. But I think the primary reason, of course, is the price that they can get for their corn and put a little more profit in their pockets hopefully.”
Chuck Denney
It seems logical that if you plant more of one crop, you’ll plant less of another. Look for Tennessee’s soybean and cotton acreage to be down this year. Producers say corn prices are just too good to pass up right now
Jerry Pate
“This year we planted 900 acres of corn.”
Chuck Denney
Jerry Pate has been farming for decades. He’s never planted corn – until 2007, that is.
Jerry Pate
“Well, we went to corn, one reason was the rotation. The other reason because the price of corn at the time - we could still generate about the same money as summer cotton acreage.”
Chuck Denney
The state corn crop hasn’t been certified yet, but it’s safe to predict it will be significantly higher than years past. In 2006, Tennessee grew 550-thousand acres. This year it will be nearly 800-thousand.
Dr. Delton Gerloff
“It’s pretty much statewide. I think you can go all the way from west of Chattanooga all the way out to Dyer County and you’ll see that changeover take place.”
Chuck Denney
Jerry Pate says if some of this is going for ethanol, than so be it. He’d like to grow some of our nation’s fuel and energy.
Jerry Pate
“I think that’s where our fuel source needs to come from, from our farming communities.”
Tim Campbell
“A farmer has got to make a little money, and he’s got a lot of expenses to cover. He’s going to look for those pricing opportunities based on which crop gives him those best opportunities.”
Chuck Denney
This year, that looks to be corn. Jerry Pate is still growing other crops, but he’s got a new business endeavor now - one based on a growing national trend.
END
NOTE: Tennessee’s corn crop was hurt by cold weather around Easter, and some of it had to be re-planted. |
