Read the full article on KETV 7
The fields of Nebraska are starting to come to life this year, but at a much higher cost than last year to the farmers who work them.“When Nebraska legalized gambling a few years ago, farmers have been doing that for years,” Matthew Erickson, a farmer near Stearling, Nebraska, said. “You don’t go to the slots to do it. You put a seed in the ground.”Erickson and his family are among thousands of Nebraska farm families hoping this year’s crop will generate enough income to offset mounting expenses. Farmers across the state have faced higher costs for necessities such as fuel and fertilizer following the outbreak of the Iran War, while market prices for corn and soybeans have remained low.“It’s been a roller coaster,” Erickson said. “You just don’t know how it’s going to be going into the year with input prices that have continued to rise. I talked to some people that they were going to be minus like $50 to $100 an acre on every acre they had.” The economic strain has been especially difficult for corn and soybean growers over the last several seasons. Erickson said his family’s operation has stayed viable in part because of the custom planting and field work they perform for other farmers.“Without the custom work, we would be in the red,” he said.The uncertainty has also pushed the Erickson family to diversify beyond row crops. In recent years, they expanded into large-scale chicken production, part of a broader trend among Nebraska farm operations seeking additional revenue streams.“It was a way for all four of us to stay home on the farm and make enough money to do that,” Erickson said.Weather remains another major concern heading deeper into the growing season. Erickson said recent rains in southeast Nebraska have been nearly excessive, though much of the state continues to struggle with drought conditions.Large portions of western Nebraska remain under extreme drought, raising concerns about wildfire risk and crop stress as summer approaches.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The fields of Nebraska are starting to come to life this year, but at a much higher cost than last year to the farmers who work them.
“When Nebraska legalized gambling a few years ago, farmers have been doing that for years,” Matthew Erickson, a farmer near Stearling, Nebraska, said. “You don’t go to the slots to do it. You put a seed in the ground.”
Advertisement
Erickson and his family are among thousands of Nebraska farm families hoping this year’s crop will generate enough income to offset mounting expenses. Farmers across the state have faced higher costs for necessities such as fuel and fertilizer following the outbreak of the Iran War, while market prices for corn and soybeans have remained low.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Erickson said. “You just don’t know how it’s going to be going into the year with input prices that have continued to rise. I talked to some people that they were going to be minus like $50 to $100 an acre on every acre they had.”
The economic strain has been especially difficult for corn and soybean growers over the last several seasons. Erickson said his family’s operation has stayed viable in part because of the custom planting and field work they perform for other farmers.
“Without the custom work, we would be in the red,” he said.
The uncertainty has also pushed the Erickson family to diversify beyond row crops. In recent years, they expanded into large-scale chicken production, part of a broader trend among Nebraska farm operations seeking additional revenue streams.
“It was a way for all four of us to stay home on the farm and make enough money to do that,” Erickson said.
Weather remains another major concern heading deeper into the growing season. Erickson said recent rains in southeast Nebraska have been nearly excessive, though much of the state continues to struggle with drought conditions.
Large portions of western Nebraska remain under extreme drought, raising concerns about wildfire risk and crop stress as summer approaches.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
