Hemp Contract Considerations

By Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist and Tyler Mark | Professor
Published on Mar. 30, 2021

Engaging in production agriculture is a risky profession, even for mature markets, such as corn and poultry, much less one that lacks the market transparency of hemp.

Summer Stocker Outlook for 2021

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Mar. 28, 2021

After a tough couple weeks in February, it is looking a lot more like spring in Kentucky. Spring means stocker operators are looking to place calves on pasture for summer and is the time of year when we typically see our seasonal highs in the calf market.

2021 Tobacco Budgets

By Will Snell | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 25, 2021

The 2021 burley and dark tobacco budgets can be accessed at https://agecon.ca.uky.edu/budgets#Tobacco. These budgets are developed by Alan Galloway, University of Tennessee (UT), Bob Pearce, Andy Bailey, and Will Snell, from the University of Kentucky (UK).  

ARC-PLC Farm Bill Decision 2021

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 25, 2021

Starting in 2018, grain farmers have had the ability to decide on a yearly basis between the ARC and PLC Farm Bill programs.  The decision needs to be made for each base-acre crop type (corn, soybeans, wheat) on each FSA farm.  You can choose PLC for one crop type, and ARC for another crop type on the same farm.

Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness

By Jerry Pierce | KFBM Program Coordinator
Published on Feb. 25, 2021

The Economic Aid Act reauthorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through March 31. On January 19, 2021, SBA issued Interim Final Rules concerning forgiveness and review of first and second draw loans made under PPP.

Cow-Calf Profitability Estimates for 2020 and 2021 (Spring Calving Herd)

By Greg Halich | Associate Extension Professor, Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist, and Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 25, 2021

The purpose of this article is to examine cow-calf profitability for a spring calving herd that sold weaned calves in the fall of 2020 and provide an estimate of profitability for the upcoming year.  Table 1 summarizes estimated costs for a well-managed spring-calving cowherd for 2020.  Every operation is different, so producers should evaluate

Liquidation of the U.S. Beef Herd Continues, but at a Slower Pace than Expected

By Kenny Burdine | Extension Professor
Published on Feb. 2, 2021

USDA-NASS released their January 1, 2021 cattle inventory estimates on the afternoon of Friday, January 29th. The U.S. beef cow herd was estimated to be down by 0.6%, which was a smaller decrease than most had expected.

ARC vs PLC – The Basics

By Will Snell | Extension Professor
Published on Jan. 28, 2021

The 2014 Farm Bill developed two programs to provide income support for specified row crops.  -- the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.  These risk management programs were reauthorized in the 2018 Farm Bill with slight modifications and remain in effect for the 2019-2023 crop years.

More Government Money on the Way for Kentucky Farmers

By Will Snell | Extension Professor
Published on Jan. 28, 2021

The latest COVID-19 stimulus package (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021) contains more funding for U.S. agriculture. Last year, U.S. farmers received an estimated $46 billion of direct federal funding, accounting for nearly 40% of projected U.S.

Continued Declines in Hemp Profitability Mixed with Marginal Profit Potential for 2021

By Jonathan Shepherd | Extension Specialist and Tyler Mark | Professor
Published on Jan. 28, 2021

According to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky started 2020 with 32,000 approved acres of hemp.