6 takeaways from the Great Lakes Crop Summit

(Sign Welcoming Farmers to the Great Lakes Crop Summit in Mt. Pleasant, MI)

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Great Lakes Crop Summit.  It is nice to have such a well run cropping event so close to home.  After listening to a dozen or so speakers over the two days of sessions, I gathered up a few key points.

1. Export markets are there, and they are important.  If grain marketing at most farms in anything like it is on my farm, we just work with our local elevator.  That isn't the worst thing to do, but being aware of the international trade climate, and of the other ways you market grain (at a premium), can really help crop farmers manage their risk.

2. We have to be business smart to farm smart.   Farmers are always proud of the fact that we farm out of love for the land.  We also tend to be slow to change or adapt.  By treating downturn years the same way as high profit years, we are really shooting ourselves in the foot.

3. Soybeans have a lot of unrealized potential.  In Michigan, soybeans are more of a rotational crop, not the main money maker.  The Great Lakes Crop Summit made me realize that we are giving up potential on soybeans just because we don't make them a priority.  Some of the things we can do with soybeans don't even take more time or money, it's just applying effort at the right time instead of whenever its convenient around corn.

4. New to cover crops? Get Help! After listening to multiple sessions on cover crops and vertical tillage, my biggest takeaway is don't go it alone.  Many things in crop farming are trial and error, but investing $25-45/ acre, or thousands in new equipment isn't something you should do without working with someone who has experience.  This will save a lot of trouble down the road.

5. Customer connection is key.  This is true in all parts of business, and not always something we think of first in agriculture.  Traceability is something that is gaining importance everyday with consumers.  Delivering a product tailored to our clients will result in better relationships, and a healthy pocketbook.

6. Manage your risk.  What happens when you have an accident on the farm?   How prepared are you to handle it?  This isn't just about insurance, but also about knowing what you should be doing before the accidents happen to protect yourself.  Working with your lawyer, your accountant, and your insurance agent to best guard yourself against potential harms will leave you feeling confident and prepared to handle any situation.