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Turkey leftovers in the fridge…and corn still in the field?

Posted: November 25, 2009 at 02:25 PM CST

My four-year-old son got to ride in a combine to harvest corn…two days before Thanksgiving. He was thrilled and spent the remainder of the day telling everyone that he is going to be a farmer when he grows up so that he can harvest corn on Thanksgiving. Cute, but let’s all hope this childhood fantasy never comes true. I’m sure that the farmers who have had to deal with the horrible planting and harvest conditions in 2009, particularly those located in southeastern North Dakota, hope this never becomes the norm.

The owners of the North Dakota farm we visited work thousands of acres of prime real estate in the southeastern corner of the state and, in late November, still had 600 acres of corn to bring in. Needless to say, cooking a turkey dinner was not the most important thing on their minds this Thanksgiving. However, in typical Midwestern fashion, they were planning to diligently work as many hours as possible until the harvest is finished. Persistent rain has slowed progress and at this time of year, heavy snowfalls could also become a serious threat. Time is of the essence.

It would be comforting to think that farmers could rest easy after the harvest is done, but because of the conditions of this year’s harvest, mold is becoming a problem in many areas of the country. It’s been hard to verify just how widespread this problem is, but it’s definitely an area of concern that has gotten a lot of attention.

Given all the difficulties experienced this year, there are a few positives that farmers can be thankful for as this dreadful season comes to a close. On Nov. 24, The CME Group decided it would not set limits on the amount of vomitoxin in corn delivered to its customers, following comments from ADM that vomitoxin is “not a big deal,” as reported by Reuters last week. There is still concern from ethanol producers about the levels of vomitoxin, but if they test it on the receiving end, they should be able to stay ahead of any potential problems.

Also, ethanol companies are calling for corn and buying it as fast as farmers can get it cut. According to the farmer who treated my son to a joyride in the combine, he and other farmers near the re-opened Hankinson Renewable Energy LLC plant in Hankinson, N.D., are excited to sell their corn to the plant, which has been steadily purchasing for over a month. Red Trail Energy LLC in Richardton, N.D., announced it is extending its buying hours and will take in trucks on Saturdays as well, in order to take full advantage of the late harvest. It’s welcome news for farmers that have had to wait a very long time to finish the season.

-Kris Bevill