Published: August 13, 2008 05:35 pm            

From the Fields: Cows, crops doing well so far

Originally published in the August 8, 2008, print edition.

Thanks to cell phone technology, an Aug. 4 update with Otter Tail County dairy farmer Bruce Stone was doable, but barely.

Stone squeezed in a 1:30 p.m. chat with The Land while enroute to a Detroit Lakes Pollution Control Agency-hosted information meeting on feedlot permits. His concern is that some environmentalists are suggesting that leakage from silage piles should be considered a toxic waste. With a 400-cow dairy operation, silage is a primary feedstuff for Stone Dairy. “None of us want to contain all that water,” Stone said.

With feed costs still a key issue for dairy profitability, Conservation Reserve Program acres are again in the gun sights as one avenue for increasing crop production in 2009. The question being asked is whether a penalty-free withdrawal of CRP acres should be permitted.

As both a livestock farmer and a conservationist, Stone admits to having mixed feelings on that issue. “The way grain markets have tumbled the past few days, maybe more acres for more production won’t be so important next year. But how do we know?” he asked.

In his area much CRP ground is already marginal for crop production so he doubts it would make much difference in corn supplies and feed prices.

“Outside of our pivot ground, we just don’t have 200-bushel potential up here, but I can’t speak for other areas. Renewable fuels, especially the ethanol programs here in Minnesota, have done tremendous things for our overall agricultural economy. But I know the swine industry is really hurting. And if you don’t grow most of your own feed, our dairy business would be hurting too.

“Really it boils down to the simple fact that if people want and need both food and energy, it’s simply going to cost more,” he said.

Thanks to a summer season devoid so far of stifling hot and humid weather, cows have done well at Stone Dairy. They milk three times per 24-hour period and in early August the herd was still averaging 76 pounds of milk per cow per day. The new compost barn home for the additional 80 cows added to the herd this summer is working well.

The center pivot irrigation systems are promoting both good alfalfa and good corn on their 450 acres of irrigated crops. “But without the pivots, corn is deteriorating rapidly in this area. The irrigated corn is slightly behind, but right now it looks tremendous. It could be a 180-bushel crop.

“We’ve taken our third cutting alfalfa off the irrigated fields and got a fair yield. With one more cutting later this season, we’ll be doing about six tons alfalfa dry basis for the season, and that’s OK.”

The Stones aren’t bashful about challenging their corn. They plant at 32,000 to 34,000 population and fertilize accordingly. Working with irrigation and an alfalfa rotation sets the stage for good production. Because of phosphorous levels, they are careful about not putting on too much manure from their lagoon.

They top-dress nitrogen on part of the corn, and they readily buy into the new technologies of today’s top-producing corn hybrids, meaning triple-stack hybrids are definitely part of their corn production strategy.

Already seed companies report high interest, even early bookings on new hybrids for the 2009 season. Although seed prices are not yet released, $300 seed corn is a talking point as farmers start ramping up their production estimates for next year.

“Sounds outrageous today but we really don’t have much choice,” Stone said regarding the potential price of seed corn. “I’ve looked at all the costs likely to be part of growing next year’s crop and the price of corn today just isn’t going to look very good. This $5 corn just isn’t going to cut it. The corn farmer will need $6 corn to make it work.”

As treasurer of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, Stone is in the know on what’s happening within the dairy industry. He indicated that right now there are no particular dairy issues on the national scene — milk prices are respectably good and production is meeting customer demand nationwide.

“We’re probably going to see some more changes in the next couple of years, but major shifts I think will be slow to happen,” Stone said. “Cow numbers here in Minnesota I think will continue to bump up somewhat. We’ve had some expansion of existing mega-dairies, enough to offset the decline in actual dairy farmers.”

Even with $4 milk at the store, milk consumption seems to be holding. He also thinks more cheese is being bought for home consumption. Milk from Stone Dairy goes to Land O’Lakes at Melrose, one of the state’s largest cheese processing plants.

Taking just a peek at elections this fall, Stone sees environmental issues and livestock issues involving animal rights as part of the agricultural docket. Energy, of course, appears to be the headliner for every candidate.

For the Stones, family life has been great this summer with the grandchildren making farm visits and joining them for an occasional weekend getaway at the lake. That’s fairly easy pickings since Otter Tail County has 1,048 lakes.

“We’re all doing well and have lots to be thankful for,” he said. “It’s looking like a great year.”

        

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