Meet Moweaqua farmer Troy Duncan. Can you guess why he's smiling?
Yep, he was applying anhydrous last week, on the first official day of spring. It was around 60 degrees F and sunny. But that's not why he's smiling.
He's smiling because he paid around $600 a ton for the anhydrous. Last fall, anhydrous was over $1,200 a ton in his area. At those prices, he thought about planting all soybeans. "I've planted all corn before, so I figured this might be the year for all beans," Duncan added.
When I mentioned that he was one of the farmers playing chicken with the fertilizer retailers, he said not exactly. Like most of the country, Duncan wrapped up harvest late. Too late to fall apply anhydrous.
Moweaqua farmer Troy Duncan began spring with anhydrous fieldwork. Duncan waited to purchase and was able to book at $600 per ton.
Rather than booking at $1,200 a ton, he decided to sit and wait. Rather than giving himself credit for a great business decision, he says it was just plain luck.
A deliveryman with Christian County Farmers Supply FS said a lot of farmers are spring applying anhydrous in the Christian County area. While some held out like Duncan, many prepaid at $1,200/ton.
How much is anhydrous in your area? What are prices like now, compared to last fall?
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