Corn market could grow with crop
Staff writer
Greg Holub spent a busy afternoon Thursday planting a field of corn south of Lincolnville.
Holub, a custom planter who lives north of Lincolnville, also plants milo, soybeans, and other crops for farmers who hire him.
At his home farm, he grows corn, milo, soybeans, wheat, oats, and alfalfa. That’s not to mention a cow/calf operation.
His 259 horsepower John Deere 8235R tractor pulled a planter and a fertilizer tank Thursday, digging furrows, dropping in corn, closing furrows, and applying fertilizer.
The tractor’s automatic steering made the job easier, but that doesn’t mean he could do nothing in the seat.
He paid attention to monitors that told him such things as the level of liquid fertilizer in the tank.
At one point, he pulled over so his son Gentri could restock the tank.
Holub expects to finish planting 1,800 acres of corn in about 10 days.
Much of the corn grown in Marion County is for livestock feed, Holub said. Some varieties bred for extra height produce longer stalks to use for silage.
The Kansas extension office says corn, with uses for both feed and production of ethanol, is a vital part of the state’s agricultural economy.
About 700 million bushels are produced statewide each year, ranking the state sixth in the nation for corn production.
The outlook for corn growers could be better this year than in the past. Several Midwest governors, including Kansas governor Laura Kelly, are calling for federal authorities to approve year-round sales of E15 gasoline made with ethanol.
If the Environmental Protection Agency approves the request, it would offer a lower-priced fuel option for cars less than 20 years old.
Kelly’s request was applauded by the Kansas Corn Growers Association.
Last modified May 5, 2022