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Minnesota farmer focused on 2025 costs

A southern Minnesota farmer is focused on cost as he plans for the 2025 growing season.

Sam Ziegler of Good Thunder tells Brownfield his area has suffered consecutive years of poor corn and soybean yields.

“A lot of it is putting behind us that year and really focusing on going forward, trying to pick varieties with having kind of not great plots and stuff in our area for the past couple of years. It’s a little bit of a challenge to pick those varieties.”

He says managing costs will be critical with commodity prices below the cost of production.

“Looking at soybean prices and corn prices and how are we marketing? How are we protecting ourselves, depending on what direction the market might take us, is getting all my attention.”

The region where Ziegler farms experienced drought in 2023, excessive moisture this past spring, and a return to extremely dry conditions during the summer and fall.