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Risk protection key in down price environment

A Minnesota farmer is stressing the importance of risk protection amid low commodity prices and high input costs.

Darin Johnson says it’s a tough environment for marketing corn and soybeans.

“As we figure break-evens looking into this next year, we are well below the cost of production. And that brings me (to) crop insurance, that’s why it is so important. But we aren’t able to buy enough crop insurance to cover ourselves to break even.”

He tells Brownfield there’s always hope prices will improve.

“But really that’s why biofuels, whether it’s biodiesel or ethanol, that’s why it is so important because we just have to keep this demand going.”

Johnson farms in Faribault County and is the current president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.