By this time of year, third-generation farmer Tom Parker typically knows how much of each crop he’s planting in his fields. But this year is different.
Parker said crop value and profitability per acre are holding him up."Everything is kind of up in the air this year,” Parker said. "[It’s] probably one of the most unplanned years so far.”
Parker usually plants half of his acres in corn and the other half in soybeans and tomatoes. His work in the field and on the road is likely to cost him more this year. GasBuddy reports that in the last week, diesel prices went up about 80 cents per gallon. “Until we get a resolution in the Middle East, where we are, and there’s not really a whole lot that any of us can do about,” GasBuddy Petroleum Analyst Matt McClain said.
“I wish I had filled my tanks up before this,” Parker said. “I was planning on filling them up and didn’t get it done, so we’ll see how that hurts.” He hopes that if issues overseas are resolved in the next few weeks, it won’t impact his bottom line.
Parker bought his fertilizer last fall, but he’s concerned that if the conflict overseas continues, it could be difficult to get the products to his farm.
“Some of our farmers around the country have already reported paying tens of thousands of dollars more to secure the last amounts of fertilizer they need for this spring,” American Farm Bureau Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Analysis John Newton said. " I think the challenge is really gonna be about availability.”
Parker plans to start planting once the weather breaks after April 1.
