Grain Profitability Outlook 2025

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 27, 2025

Grain prices have continued dropping this last year, and this follows a more dramatic drop from the previous year.  Current prices for 2025 new-crop delivery are around $4.35/bu for corn, $10.35/bu for soybeans (2/20/25).  This is a decrease of around $.10/bu for corn and $1.00/bu for soybeans compared to what these price

ARC-PLC Decision Tool Instructions and Example

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 27, 2025

There are a few possible decision tools that can be used for the ARC-PLC choice for 2025.  My recommendation is to use the tool developed by Univ.

Prospects for Winter Backgrounding 2024-2025

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Oct. 31, 2024

Tight cattle supply has largely driven cattle markets in 2024. Markets did see a small pullback in late summer but have actually improved counter-seasonally over the last few weeks. Calf prices are higher than they were this time last year and about $100 per cwt higher than they were in fall of 2022.

Fall 2024 Wheat Planting Decision

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 27, 2024

Corn harvest is now underway and Kentucky grain farmers will soon decide if and how much wheat they will plant this fall.  Compared to last year there is a drop in both soybean and wheat prices, a drop in fuel price, and mostly stable fertilizer prices.

Custom Machinery Rates Applicable to Kentucky (2024)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Apr. 17, 2024

These custom rates are based on reported surveys in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kansas. The rates calculated here are averages for these states and are adjusted to account for changes in fuel price, machinery costs1, and wages2 from the time of the reported surveys.

Corn and Soybean Budgets | 2024 Western Kentucky

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 31, 2024

Purpose: This Decision Aid has been constructed to help producers budget for corn and soybean production. Machinery Options Evaluated: No-Till Corn, Conventional Tillage Corn, No-Till Soybeans

Corn and Soybean Budgets | 2024 Central Kentucky

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 31, 2024

Purpose: This Decision Aid has been constructed to help producers budget for corn and soybean production. Machinery Options Evaluated: No-Till Corn, Conventional Tillage Corn, No-Till Soybeans

Corn and Soybean Budgets | 2024 Advanced Options

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 31, 2024

Purpose: This Decision Aid has been constructed to help producers budget for corn and soybean production. Machinery Options Evaluated: No-Till Corn, Conventional Tillage Corn, Customized Corn, No-Till Soybeans, Conventional Soybeans, Customized Soybeans.

Stocker Outlook for 2024

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 28, 2024

Temperatures are getting warmer, the grass is getting greener, and the calf market is starting to take off.  These are tell-tale signs of spring in Kentucky, and we are experiencing all three.

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2023 and 2024 (Spring Calving Herd)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist, and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 28, 2024

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2023 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year, 2024.  Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed spring-calving cowherd for 2023.  Every operation is different, so producers should eva