News
Upper Midwest drought zone east of Interstate 35
Large parts of Iowa and Minnesota have been hit hard by the drought.
Northern Country Cooperative CEO Jason Schwenneker says the co-op primarily operates east of Interstate 35 from Cedar Rapids to Rochester.
“We are worried, yes. We are in a very affected area where our entire trading territory will have a lot of ups and downs.”
He tells Brownfield that he recently visited a farmer who harvested corn and saw yields range from 40 bushels an acre to 230 in the same field.
“Just back and forth all the way, and so the terrain types really matter this year in these really, really dry areas. And your fertility programs really do matter. But we will be in a difficult position this year.”
Schwenneker says lower yields will result in less income for farmers and fewer bushels for the co-op to market.
