Published: February 13, 2008 02:52 pm            

Is the wheat belt returning to southern Minnesota?

Originally published in the February 8, 2008, print edition.

Minnesota farmers can grow a variety of crops, and grow them pretty well.

Typically more corn is grown in southern Minnesota than in the northern part of the state, and the northern half has grown more wheat. But with the price of wheat going up, more farmers in the southern half of the state are thinking about getting into, or back into, wheat production.

Jochum Wiersma, Extension agronomist with the University of Minnesota, said we are currently experiencing a “fight for acres.”

According to Wiersma, the spring wheat belt across the Northern Plains and the Canadian provinces is one of the few areas in the world that still can add much needed acres of wheat to increase worldwide wheat production and alleviate the global wheat shortage as stocks have reached historic lows.

Regarding wheat “I have had producer calls from areas I don’t get many calls from,” Wiersma said. The calls range from those that are just curious about growing wheat to those producers who are up-to-date on the latest varieties and practices.

“As the wheat prices have increased to historic levels for both old crop as well as new crop, soybean and corn prices have followed suite,” Wiersma said. While the price of soybeans and wheat have gone up, so too has the price of fertilizer, and soybeans typically need less fertilizer.

Fertilizer cost is just one of the variables that need to be taken into consideration when deciding whether to grow wheat.

“Crop inputs will be up sharply and it is crucial that producers do a very thorough job when they put together the crop budgets for the coming season. The cost of production per bushel will be up, and knowing your cost of production will be pivotal if wheat, or any commodity for that matter, is to be profitable at the end of next year’s marketing season. Contact your local Extension office or Farm Business Management instructor to get a handle of crop budgets and benchmark your numbers,” Wiersma said.

According to Wiersma seed producers are at a crossroad, as they are considering whether to sell for cash at the current record prices or hold on to it and hope people buy it at a later date. Seed dealers will try to minimize inventory at the end of the season and many producers have responded by buying seed earlier.

There may be some local shortages of particular varieties, but overall Wiersma expects — based on conversations with the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association — that enough spring wheat seed is available in the state. “You may not be able to get your first choice and you may have to source farther away than other years,” Wiersma said.

West central Minnesota was historically an area with sizable spring wheat acreage but wheat acres have dwindled in the last 15 years. According to Wiersma, 10 years ago Minnesota had over two and a half million acres of wheat but today there is around one and three-quarters million acres.

Even in the heart of Minnesota’s spring wheat country — the Red River Valley — soybeans have become a major player in just over a decade.

“Problems with fusarium head blight in the early ’90s, market conditions, farm bill policies and introduction of Roundup Ready technology all contributed to the rapid introgression of soybeans in the crop rotation. Research has already shown that soybeans are a very good partner to wheat in the crop rotation,” Wiersma said.

With the interest Wiersma is getting from producers across the state, wheat may be popping up in more places this spring.

What should producers consider before deciding whether to add wheat to their planting rotation?

“Management practices and fertility have definitely changed,” Wiersma said. He encourages producers to contact Extension offices with questions about the latest in wheat production.

One of the biggest problems with growing wheat now is scab. Discounts can be steep if this fungus is found in the grain. Because wheat and corn are both monocots, they share some of the same fungal diseases. The fungus that causes scab in wheat causes stalk rot in corn. This is why there are problems in growing wheat after corn.

Wiersma would like to see wheat follow beans. Doing this is a first and important step to reduce the risk of scab and steep discounts.

“We want to make sure we help those raising wheat in the best possible way,” Wiersma said. That includes giving new growers the best tools possible to succeed.

        

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