Fall 2023 Wheat Planting Decision

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 29, 2023

Corn harvest is now underway and Kentucky grain farmers will soon decide if and how much wheat they will plant this fall.  Compared to last year there are significant decreases in wheat and soybean prices, but also significant decreases in fertilizer and fuel prices.  The following analysis quantifies these relative changes to estimate the profi

2023 Farmland Values

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Sep. 8, 2023

Each August the USDA releases the results of their survey of farmland values. The survey includes data from approximately 9,000 tracts of land of about one square mile each across the continental United States.

What Do Higher Profit Farms in Kentucky Have in Common?

By Lauren Omer Turley | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on Aug. 29, 2023

In today’s farming culture, the farm is run just as a business.  It is important for producers to make progress and always look for ways to improve the operation.  The goal of most producers is to be at the top of the profitability curve in order to stay competitive.  In Kentucky, we have had a record three-year period from 2020 to 2022.  There

Interest Rates and Grain Storage

By Grant Gardner | Assistant Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 29, 2023

For the 2023/24 marketing year, higher interest rates will negatively impact producers' costs for holding grain in storage, especially for producers utilizing operating loans.

Can I Afford to Buy A Farm?

By Kayla Brashears | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on Aug. 29, 2023

A goal of many pursuing the American dream is home ownership. Similarly, the goal of a farmer is often to become a landowner. Like single-family residences, the financial decision to purchase farmland is clouded by emotional, social, and familial influences.

2023 Tobacco Update

By Will Snell | Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 29, 2023

The 2023 tobacco harvest is well underway for the 2023 season.  This is setting up to be a late harvested crop as early weather conditions delayed progress.  While there are pockets of very good crops, excessive rain has certainly had a negative impact on the crop in certain areas, especially the dark tobacco crop in the Purchase region.

Carbon Market Basics

By Jordan Shockley | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Aug. 7, 2023

Interest in carbon markets continues to grow as farmers, landowners, and companies seek ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance environmental sustainability.

Highlights of the 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey

By Jill Stowe | Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

The University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Horse Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, recently collaborated on the 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey.

Dairy Margin Coverage Provides Some Help in Challenging Milk Market

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

Dairy producers continue to struggle with decreasing farm-level milk prices and high feed costs. For the first five months of 2023, the US All Milk price averaged $21.16 per cwt, which was more than $4 per cwt lower than the first five months of 2022. In fact, US All Milk dropped below $20 per cwt in May for the first time since October 2021.

An INFORMATION System

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Jul. 28, 2023

Recordkeeping. Root canals. Airline seats. Kidney stones. Boring relatives. Wet dogs None of them are pleasant. Some should be avoided. Some of them are pretty important though. Keeping records for the farm business, for instance. Not pleasant (usually) but certainly important.