Inside Profitability Series Nebraska Farm Bureau

Fertilizer prices have more than doubled since last year. Chemical, fuel, and labor costs are higher. Feed costs have surged. No doubt one of the bigger challenges this year for crop and livestock producers will be managing for the higher costs. The success of the farm and ranch operation this year could very well hinge on how well producers manage for the higher costs and volatility.

This Nebraska Farm Bureau Inside Profitability series webinar focuses on managing the farm or ranch in a high-cost and volatile environment. The webinar features extension educators from the University of Nebraska with management tips and strategies for navigating the higher costs this year.

Learn how to recognize how higher costs are reflected in cost of production changes, identify key information important in making management decisions on cropping practices, input usage, and risk management, create strategies for managing higher input prices, and link input costs to commodity prices at harvest to examine profit potential.

Finding skilled, reliable workers is increasingly difficult for Nebraska farm and ranch operators and agricultural businesses. Labor shortages and problems add delays, costs, and increased stress for operations. The lack of labor has led many farm or ranch operations to turn to foreign workers to help fill the gap.

This episode covers labor conditions in agriculture, highlight practices agricultural employers can use for hiring and managing employees, and touch on how the H-2A program has helped some rural employers.

Agriculture ecosystem credit markets, like carbon credit markets, have been described as the “Wild West.” Right now, anything goes. Farmers are being besieged by several entities seeking their participation in credit programs. In this episode, we dig into the basics of ecosystem credit markets and Identify issues producers should consider when thinking about entering a program.

A pandemic, cybersecurity attack, export ban, import tariffs, and more have rocked cattle markets within the last 12-18 months. It seems like the risks inherent in cattle production are growing every day. Because it is typically 17 months from breeding to calf sale, cow/calf producers are especially susceptive to price risk. Cattle prices can swing wildly and when market shocks occur, it’s too late for producers to respond.