Crops Surviving/New Farm Loan Effort

Getting more favorable rainfall than we did in 2008 and 2009 would be hard to imagine. Two years -- 116 inches of rain; the largest Kansas corn crop and yield on record in 2009; the largest Kansas soybean crop on record; the highest Kansas grain sorghum average yield on record; and likely the best forage production year in 2009 experienced over the past 100 years!

Heading into 2010, I expected the production successes of those two years would be a hard act to follow (so to speak) as the odds were against a repeat of another year that good. The hot, dry, hotter, drier month of August saw to it that a mirror image of 2009 was not in the cards. However, recent crop forecasts do indicate a promising fall harvest nonetheless.

Corn production for Kansas, though not topping last year's record yield per acre, is actually forecast at 607.2 million bushels which will exceed last year's record total production of 598.3 million bushels. The increased total is due to increased acreage combined with an excellent average yield of 138 bushels per acre. The high mark recorded last year was 155 bushels per acre.

So this is most certainly an encouraging report. Grain sorghum is expected to reach a level in yield per acre (80 bushels) equaling the second highest on record (2009 again setting the top mark of 88 bushels), with the soybean crop also securing a prediction of providing the second highest total production ever recorded for the state. The planted acreage of corn is the highest since 1936 with the actual harvested corn acreage predicted to be the highest since 1933. (FYI: total US corn production in 1933 was approx. two billion bushels; total predicted 2010 production on similar acreage is expected at approx. 13.2 billion bushels.)

FSA FARM LOAN ANNOUNCEMENT: Adrian J. Polansky, state executive director of USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Kansas announced earlier this month the launch of a Conservation Loan (CL) program that will provide farm owners and farm-related business operators access to credit to implement conservation techniques that will conserve natural resources.

"This will give farmers who want to implement conservation measures on their lands a chance to do so by providing assistance with their up-front costs," said Polansky. "In return, these producers will help to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and promote sustainable and organic agricultural practices."

CL funds can be used to implement conservation practices approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), such as the installation of conservation structures; establishment of forest cover; installation of water conservation measures; establishment or improvement of permanent pastures; implementation of manure management; and the adaptation of other emerging or existing conservation practices, techniques or technologies.

Direct CLs can be obtained through FSA offices with loan limits up to $300,000. Guaranteed CLs up to $1,112,000 are available from lenders working with FSA.

For more information on the Conservation Loan Program, contact the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center or visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov. The Farm Loan Team serving this area works out of the Girard Service Center -- call 620-724-6227. Obtain a copy of the CL Federal Register at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22070.pdf. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.