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Healthy soil means a healthier you

Jeff Martin, who is a past president of the Chicago Farmers and the owner of Martin Farms with his wife Jean and sons Doug and Derek, discussed the importance of healthy soil and the strides he is making on his farms during his January 11, 2021, Chicago Farmers’ webinar presentation.

“The nutrient density of our food is 15 to 70 percent less than it was 50 years ago,” said Martin. “This is causing health problems that are tied to the health of our soil. The nutrient density of  our food is not what it should be.”

Martin said that farmers need to study and compare the conventional practices to the opportunities that are available today. “If you want different results, you have to manage and think differently; you have to have an open mind, whether you are a landlord or a tenant,” he said.

He noted that many producers are losing money with today’s conventional practices. Martin added that the key to profitable farming is the soil health, which also is referred to as soil quality. That soil quality is an eco-system that supports animals and humans and has the continued capacity to function as a vital living eco-system that sustains plants, animals and humans.

If the soil is healthy, the essential minerals in the soil will be available to the growing crop due to nutrient cycling. Those minerals come to humans through the plants and through the animals that eat the plants and grain.

“I believe I have a responsibility to improve our grain and food production not only for our health, but for the health of our grandchildren,” said Martin.

According to Martin, the single largest issue that impacts farm profits is that many farmers have the wrong expectations for the soil and continue to pour on inputs.

He said that soil is composed of the vital living creatures that inhabit it, and a healthy, functional soil system will suppress diseases and retain the essential nutrients that plants need. A healthy soil also:

• Decomposes toxins
• Reduces water needs
• Increases water infiltration and the soil’s holding capacity
• Increases root depth and oxygen in the soil

“These things reduce, and possibly eliminate, the need for pesticides and fertilizers,” Martin said. “We have seen this in our operations, not 100 percent, but we are getting there.”

He shared that the goal is to develop soil that is functional and healthy and fosters an environment that favors beneficial microbes and the plant, soil, soil microbe system (PSSMS). Martin said that he and his family have found that gypsum, lime, kelp, and photosynthesis act as synergists with the soil, while aggressive tillage, myco fungi , nh3, KCI,  DAP, and poor Ca:Mg ratios act as antagonists. He related that high NO3 plant levels attract insects. If the nitrate levels are in balance, insects will fly over the field in search of another field that will provide the nitrate they seek.

Martin noted that the goal is to cut back on the nutrients, which is possible through nutrient cycling, creating plant available nutrition from insoluble sources and from free nitrogen that is in the air and in the organic matter in the soil.

Martin said that for the past five to six years, his family has employed the Agribio Systems/Regenerative Program versus a conventional farming program. The Agribio system costs totaled $158.02 per acre and included the use of lime, gypsum, urea, boron and humic acid.  When cover crops were added, the cost was $180.82 per acre. Round-Up is not used because it is an antibiotic and harmful to certain microbes in the soil and ties up specific minerals in the plant. For the conventional method, using DAP, potash, and lime with anhydrous ammonia added, the cost was $221.60 per acre.

Martin encouraged people to view a video at agribiosystems.com to learn more about the system.

In response to a question, Martin said that cover crops are just part of the system. If they were incorporated into the system completely, he believes that drainage would be helped, but he is not certain that they would prevent the need for tiling. He added that he believed with the proper balance of microbes, soil aggregation, and cover crops, the need for tiling could possibly be eliminated. Martin said that 50 percent of the fields they work on have cover crops and they would like to do more, but timing is important and when harvesting is not completed until mid-November, it is too late for most cover crops to grow enough to become effective, with the exception of cereal rye.

Regarding landlords’ response to the Martins’ approach, Martin said they spend a lot of time educating the landlords and farm managers on the system, ensuring that they understand it and that they are aware of the success it achieves. He added that the landlords and farm managers are mainly concerned with cutting back on inputs. Martin said the system has been implemented on 90 percent of the farms in which the Martin family is involved. He said that most of their leases are one to three years and it takes at least four to five years with proper management to get the soil to the balance that the Martin family wants. He said that due to the education they provide for the landlords and farm managers, the Martin family is not worried about losing a lease.

Written by The Chicago Farmers Editor, Denise Faris

September webinar on leasing trends kicks off TCF’s 2020-21 season

Dr. Gary Schnitkey, agricultural and consumer’s economics professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, had good news at the Chicago Farmers’ September 2020 webinar meeting when he shared, “The income outlook for 2020 in Illinois is better than we thought.” However, he did add the caveat that a lot still depends on whether there will be more ad hoc disaster assistance in the near future.

In response to a question from the webinar audience about the upcoming election’s impact on agriculture, Dr. Schnitkey said that it is believed that if President Trump is re-elected, he will not bring forward any proposals for ad hoc disaster payments because there is no need since he has been returned to office. On the other hand, if the Democrats win the White House and are the majority in the Senate, they won’t issue the payments either because farmers did not support them.

“But both parties historically have supported farm programs and I don’t see any reason for that to change,” said Dr. Schnitkey. “However, the nature of the support will change if the Democrats are in control because I believe that more of the payments will be tied to conservation.”

In reporting that the income outlook was better in 2020 than analysts originally had forecast, Dr. Schnitkey said the higher income is based on the fact that in Illinois, corn yield was 223 bushels per acre and the soybean yield was 62 bushels per acre, both were above the trend line.

The original dire outlook was due to the hot, dry weather in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa during the summer months. Additionally, a severe wind storm in August in Iowa added to the negative impact on yields.

Dr. Schnitkey went on to say that the USDA changed its Iowa yield forecast for soybeans to 54 bushels per acre in September, down from the forecast of 58 bushels in August; the US yield was downgraded to 51.9 bushels in September from 53.3 bushels in August. Good income increases came about as a result of the lower yields and concern about the yields in China.

“At this point in September, we are looking at higher yields than we were in August,” said Dr. Schnitkey. He noted that the national yield for corn was 178.5 bushels per acre, with a market year price of $3.50 per bushel for 2020, down slightly from the 2019 price of $3.60.

Regarding soybeans, the national yield in August was forecast to be 53.3 bushels per acre and in September the forecast was changed to 51.9 bushels. The market value price was forecast in August by the USDA to be $8.35, but upgraded in September to $9.25. The USDA put the corn market value price at $3.10 in August but revised it to $3.50 in September.

Dr. Schnitkey said that the Coronavirus Food Assistance program has a September 11 deadline. Thus far, payments have been made for livestock and many grain farms. Corn payments were set at $0.335 per bushel and soybean payments were $0.475 per bushel. Currently, there is no indication of ad hoc disaster assistance for 2021.

Regarding cash rents, Dr. Schnitkey said they were holding steady in 2020. He said the average cash rent for Iowa is $230; Illinois, $222; and Indiana, $194. He noted that the ad hoc federal payments have been important in adding to the stability of the cash rent levels.

Based on a survey in August, projections for the average cash rent per acre for professionally managed farmland in 2021 include:                                                                                                                        

Excellent, $297 ($305 in 2020)

Good, $253 ($270 in 2020)

Average, $212 ($224 in 2020)  

Fair, $160 ($173 in 2020)

Dr. Schnitkey said that 50 percent of Illinois farmland is rented; in Indiana it’s 45 percent; in Iowa it’s 41 percent; and in Ohio it’s 37 percent.  He added that larger grain farms tend to be more involved in rent situations.

What are the farming arrangements throughout Illinois?

                        Northern                      Central                         Southern

Owned             19 percent                    14 percent                    22 percent

Share-Rent       21 percent                    42 percent                    36 percent

Cash-Rent        60 percent                    44 percent                    42 percent

Custom farming, in which the landowner pays for the field operations, bears all of the costs, and receives all of the revenue, involves six percent of the state’s farmland.

He noted that over time, it is becoming apparent that people switch from share-rent to cash-rent due to the ease of making arrangements.

Dr. Schnitkey advised that a written lease is the best way to go, although there are many instances where this is not the case. If there is not a written lease and the landowner wants to terminate a relationship, he must provide notice by October 31, according to law; however, specifications in a written lease will supersede the October 31 deadline. Dr. Schnitkey said it is rare to see a lease arrangement for more than two or three years. “I would discourage the longer leases because you have no idea what the future holds,” remarked Dr. Schnitkey.

Dr. Schnitkey added, “The outlook now is bright, not great, but still greater than we thought just one month ago.”

Written by The Chicago Farmers Editor, Denise Faris