July 12, 2010

Kansas producers see changing trends in wheat planting

Rains have affected the south central Kansas crop and some farmers and analysts think the region's planting trends are about to change in a big way.

Grain producer Mick Rausch said he has switched about a third of his crop near Garden Plain away from wheat, and he saw a lot of other farmers doing the same. "There are people who've planted wheat for 30 years," said Rausch. "They keep telling they're not going to plant hardly any wheat."

Rains last fall made wheat hard to plant, rains last month made it hard to harvest, and low prices are making it hard to sell.

Sedgwick County Extension Agent Gary Cramer said the low wheat prices and nationwide surplus of grain add up to the kind of conditions that could change farmers' planting decisions for years to come.  Many are beginning to opt for fall crops like corn or soy.

Rausch said it is easy to look at prices right now and see why some farmers want to make the switch.

"You're trying to guess a year in advance on what crop is going to be the most attractive crop as far as per-acre revenue," said Rausch. "Right now, wheat is about the bottom end of the totem pole."

Rausch said the most popular switch in crops right now is a change from wheat to soy.  Prices at local co-ops late Friday (Jul 9) showed wheat selling at more than US$4 a bushel.  Soy was selling for nearly US$10.