The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Work with Me
    • Speaking
    • Giveaways
    • Social Media Consulting
    • Sponsored and Guest Posts
  • Gift Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • About Me
    • Media
    • Terms of Use

Barriers to Changing Crops on the Family Farm

May 14, 2018

Low prices. High input costs. Labor shortages. Trade wars.

The farm economy faces a lot of challenges, especially as markets shift and change. Sometimes there is a shortage of a certain crop, sometimes something new becomes trendy (and with a premium price!), and sometimes there is oversupply. Yet, many times, farmers choose to continue growing and producing the same crops, regardless of market changes.

It begs the question: why don’t farmers just switch to another crop?

It is certainly a good question and one worth discussing. It is true that farmers can make changes to their production. For example, our own farm transitioned from growing a mixture of fruits and vegetables and soybeans and corn, to just growing corn and soybeans. When my youngest brother and I graduated from college and took off-farm jobs, our family farm was short on labor for the fruit and vegetables. For us, the change was relatively easy, but that isn’t always the case.

Here are a few barriers that prevent farmers from just changing production.

Market Access

Market access is probably one of the biggest barriers to changing the production of a farm. Sure, we could switch our operation over fairly easily to canola or oats. But, even if we did, we have nowhere near us to sell that crop. The granaries in our area are set up to accept corn and soybeans, and not much more. If dairy prices were high and we started producing milk, we would have to seek out someone that would accept it. It doesn’t matter the price of a certain commodity if you have nothing to do with it.

Labor

Many crops, including some animals, outside of grains are very labor intensive. Access to labor is a big problem for fruit and vegetables growers generally, but it is also a significant barrier to switching to different crops. While we could easily plant and grow vegetables and fruit, we would never find the labor necessary to harvest or care for those plants. Finding and recruiting workers isn’t nearly as easy as just putting an ad on Indeed or Craigslist. Imagine finding someone that has the working knowledge to jump into one of our big tractors and hit the ground running; that rarely just happens. If the labor, skilled or otherwise, isn’t available, there is no point in planting crops that will just die in the fields.

Soil

Sometimes the dirt itself prevents us from switching to other crops. Our soil is a bit sandier, so we have been able to grow a variety of things, including watermelon. But it isn’t ideal for other crops. Just as with the other things on this list, we can’t just pick up and move. The best thing for our farm is to growing crops that do well in the type of soil that we have, which does not necessarily line up with the current status of the market.

Climate

This one seems pretty obvious. We can’t just pick and move the farm; we’re stuck exactly where we are right now. That means we also have to take the weather we can get. By default, in Michigan, that rules out a number of crops – bananas, pineapple, mangoes, and papaya (just to name a few!). But the same is true in other parts of the country, too. Some don’t have long enough seasons to grow certain crops. Some regions have regular freezes late in the spring. Some weather conditions are too harsh for some plants. Again, we have to go with the weather we have.

Equipment

Some crops require certain equipment. For example, just to grow corn we have tractors, several types of tillage implements, a planter, a fertilizer applicator, a combine with corn head, grain wagons, a semi-truck and trailer, a grain bin, and an auger. I’m probably missing a couple things… The point is, some crops can require particular equipment. Farm equipment is expensive. To switch to a crop that needs that equipment results in a significant financial investment, even if one can rent all of the required equipment. It can definitely be a barrier to switching production.

Specialization

My family can talk all day long about soil health, but ask us about lowering the risk of mastasis in dairy cows and you’ll probably get a blank stare back. That’s because our farm “specializes” in growing corn and soybeans. We are constantly learning, progressing, developing, and working to do a better job at growing corn and soybeans. While we certainly have the room to switch to dairy, we don’t have the experience or knowledge that more seasoned dairy farmers possess. As you can imagine, lacking specialization can make it difficult to switch crops or production, especially when attempting to keep the farm competive against others with that specialization.

Of course, I’m not suggesting that it is impossible to tranistion the family farm into growing something different, but it can be hard for the reasons listed above. That is why, often, farm families decide to wait out difficult times instead of trying something new each season.

signature
Share this:
«
»

Filed Under: Family Farms Tagged With: family farm, family farms, market

Comments

  1. Vanessa Worden says

    May 14, 2018 at 9:58 am

    You should also mention, not every crop is cover by crop insurance in every area. And without crop insurance, a lender will not lend funds to grow that crop. A special written agreement with the crop insurance company allows little coverage’ there is not much encouragement to step out of the corn, soybean, wheat crop world.
    Thanks for the article.
    V Worden

    • Amanda says

      May 14, 2018 at 10:16 am

      Very good point, Vanessa!

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe via Email

Archives

Latest on Twitter


Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/w7tip1fvtc2x/domains/thefarmersdaughterusa.com/html/wp-content/plugins/wd-twitter-feed/includes/Resource/TwitterResource.php on line 154

Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/w7tip1fvtc2x/domains/thefarmersdaughterusa.com/html/wp-content/plugins/wd-twitter-feed/includes/Resource/TwitterResource.php on line 163

Error: You currently have access to a subset of Twitter API v2 endpoints and limited v1.1 endpoints (e.g. media post, oauth) only. If you need access to this endpoint, you may need a different access level. You can learn more here: https://developer.twitter.com/en/portal/product (error code: 453).
For more information, visit Error Codes & Responses.

Latest on Facebook

The Farmer's Daughter

2 days ago

The Farmer's Daughter

Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. I took this photo over the weekend. These beans should be turning yellow and drying for harvest. So why aren't they? Because...the spring drought.Seeds need water to germinate. But after we planted we didn't have rain for weeks. So those seeds just sat in the dirt and never sprouted. Then, finally, it rained. And the tiny plants started popping up.The problem? It was several weeks too late for planting. The question is whether they'll be ready to harvest before the snow flies. We have shorter seasons in Michigan, so it'll be close.

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

1 week ago

The Farmer's Daughter

In my latest for AGDAILY I take a look at that status of plant-based "milks" and the FDA's moves on labeling.

... See MoreSee Less

'Almond Beverage': Yes, a label is finally doing it right! | AGDAILY

www.agdaily.com

The FDA's draft guidance on the milk label is a decent compromise on which the nutritional differences with actual milk must be clearly stated.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

1 week ago

The Farmer's Daughter

This man is a menace to society. It scares me to see certain groups giving him a favorable look."Conspiracy stories are simple, whereas reality is complicated."

... See MoreSee Less

Why RFK Jr.’s Science Disinfo Keeps Outrunning the Truth

plus.thebulwark.com

A conspiracy theory can be halfway around the world before a peer-reviewed replication can alphabetize its sources.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

1 week ago

The Farmer's Daughter

It’s harvest season in Michigan. Remember that even if you have to slow down to 20 mph and follow a tractor for one mile, it takes only three minutes of your time – about the same amount as waiting for one stoplight.

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

2 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

I'm just starting to look into the Agricultural Labeling Uniformity Act as a response to California's latest antics. This article is a good start.

... See MoreSee Less

Don’t let California override the EPA and hijack national farm policy

thehill.com

Some states — California, in particular — are trying to circumvent EPA’s career scientists with pesticide labeling regulations that conflict with the EPA’s scientific conclusions.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

Latest on Instagram

thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. I took Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. 

I took this photo over the weekend. These beans should be turning yellow and drying for harvest. So why aren't they? Because...the spring drought.

Seeds need water to germinate. But after we planted we didn't have rain for weeks. So those seeds just sat in the dirt and never sprouted. Then, finally, it rained. And the tiny plants started popping up.

The problem? It was several weeks too late for planting. The question is whether they'll be ready to harvest before the snow flies. We have shorter seasons in Michigan, so it'll be close.
Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍 Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍
💜💜 💜💜
Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purch Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. It all counts.

#modernagriculture #foodproduction #usfarmers #usagriculture #usfarms #food #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #modernag #farms #sustainableagriclture #sustainablefarming
I visited one of my favorite local farm stands ove I visited one of my favorite local farm stands over the weekend. I thought I'd buy a couple zucchini and cantaloupe. But the zucchini looked more like clubs, and the cantaloupe was too ripe for my taste. So I passed on those and bought some tomatoes that maybe cost more than I would have preferred.

But you know what I didn't do? I didn't complain about the zucchinis' size. I didn't fuss about the melons' ripeness. I didn't criticize the tomatoes' price. Instead, I smiled at the lovely lady and made small talk as I paid and went about my day. 

Why? Because I remember what it was like being out by the side of the road hot day after hot day. I know that we all poured everything we had into that produce. I remember how defeating it felt when some criticized it. I know that the price is probably around market value, even if it's cheaper in the grocery store. And I know that the farm family behind that cash register is giving everything they have to chase a dream.

I won't be the one to rain on their parade. 

#Respect
Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa! #nationaldogda Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa!

#nationaldogday🐶 
#pittiemix 
#blacklab 
#mischa
Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. And we're loving it.
It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all of it.

#agriculture #farming #sustainablefarming #sustainability
I threw a birthday party for Mischa! It was over t I threw a birthday party for Mischa! It was over the top and wonderful. And she had so much fun surrounded by people that love her. 💕

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate my little love. 💜
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs

Go to mobile version