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Difficult growing season causing lower elevator volumes

The weather challenges farmers have been presented with this year are showing in elevator volumes.

John Boeker is the elevator manager at Total Grain Marketing in Sandoval Illinois. He tells Brownfield their volume of grain is down.

“In the elevator business we all live or die by volume and obviously we’ve got a lot of prevent plant acres, so we know our volume is going to be down.”

He says at this time last year they were 60% done with corn and farmers are just getting started this year. They are 20% done with beans compared to 45% in 2018.

Boeker says aside from several green spots, the condition of soybeans coming into the elevator look good. But he says they have not gotten many corn deliveries since several fields still need another couple of weeks to dry out.  

“It’s going to be a challenge for both producers and us to handle the higher moisture levels of this corn.”

Boeker says since planting dates were so widespread, they have not had any lines at their facility, so far.