Can I make money with corn?

Authors

Paul Burgener, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

Spring 2009

Comments

This article online at: http://panhandle.unl.edu/web/panhandlerec/meeting_challenge_1

Abstract

Over the past couple of years, area farmers have been able to look at the corn market this time of year and feel confident that they will bring in a profitable crop. That may be changing for 2009. The corn price has dropped from record high levels last summer to settle in the $3.50 to $4.00 range in recent weeks. With projected break-even prices near $3.75 per bushel, the outlook for corn producers is not nearly as positive as it has been.
This does not mean that there is not any good news for western Nebraska farmers this spring. The price of sugar is up significantly from last year, and it looks like we can begin to pencil in some $45- to $50-per-ton prices as we look forward to planting the 2009 crop. With costs for sugarbeet production sitting in the $900-per-acre range, the break-even price for sugarbeet producers should be in the $35- to $40-per-ton range. This should figure out to be $100 to $300 per acre profit on the 2009 crop.