View from the Cab: Unprecedented times

By: Kent Casson

With the average age of producers on the rise, there is plenty of wisdom out in farm country, but even the longtime farmers have never experienced times such as these.

Chemical and fertility shortages paired with disease concerns for the coming season are just some of the troubles for agriculture – not to mention price volatility surrounding world uncertainty.

“I’ve never seen a situation like this going into 2022, living in America and wondering if we can get enough Glyphosate for example,” said Mike Toohill, staff agronomist for Agri Sompo North America.

Toohill believes we will be alright with nitrogen but with the recent action in Ukraine, growers will likely be paying a pretty high price.

“I am more concerned about our chemical availability, especially with Glyphosate and Liberty and I also have worries about our fungicides.”

Since many farmers are expected to utilize fungicides to help their crops later in the season, Toohill wonders if there will be enough fungicide to get all of the acres covered. He suggests having a good relationship with your ag retailer.

“We are not going to have to do much rationing as far as nitrogen but we are going to have to ration due to price,” Toohill notes.

Anyone spraying their own herbicides, should have the product in their shed ready to go. With tar spot, Toohill said there is plenty of inoculant throughout Livingston and McLean counties.

One of the top factors heading into the 2022 farming season is the weather. Another wet July and August period means the disease known as tar spot will be a major issue. A drier weather scenario would mean tar spot isn’t as much of a concern.

“It is just something farmers are going to have to manage for and be ready for,” explained Toohill.

Toohill was the guest speaker at a series of winter ag meetings hosted by Bank of Pontiac in recent weeks. Jeremy Strubhar, senior broker with Advance Trading, also addressed farmers at the meetings about markets.

How about that weather last week? Meteorological spring has sprung. This is often referred to as the unofficial start to spring as the season does not technically begin until later this month.