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Younger farmers more interested in early soybean planting

A farm business management instructor suggests younger farmers are more inclined to plant soybeans early.

Kristina McVicker with South Central College in Mankato, Minnesota says growers are interested in the practice.

“What I am seeing on farm is more so the younger generation pushing for getting those beans planted right away. And maybe if they can’t necessarily convince the other generations that this might be something worthwhile, maybe we do like one or two fields.”

She tells Brownfield research indicates a yield benefit when soybeans are further along in development by summer solstice.

“There’s some real data there (but) there’s also some real concern as to ‘alright we get these beans in the ground April 11th, when are they going to come out of the ground?’ So there’s a lot of give and take there.”

The latest weekly crop report for Minnesota showed soybean planting at 3 percent as of Sunday, slightly behind last year’s pace but ahead of the five-year average of 1 percent.

McVicker made these comments during Brownfield affiliate KNUJ’s quarterly Farm Forum earlier in April.