Raylene Nickel

2 weeks ago | agriculture.com | Raylene Nickel

When farm pressures mount and one difficulty after another hammers your operation, your stress levels rise. Emotions run ragged. Your business can suffer, and even your health can deteriorate if the stressors are prolonged. “When we are stressed, the cortisol levels in our blood go up and can potentially affect blood pressure and heart health,” said Monica McConkey, a Minnesota-based counselor who works with farmers face-to-face and by phone.

1 month ago | agriculture.com | Raylene Nickel

For years, Kelly Lozensky found himself on a treadmill. He was purchasing more and more inputs to increase yields, only to find himself heading down a path toward decreasing profitability. Before overhauling his system, Lozensky farmed 7,500 acres of rented land with his wife, DeAnna, in north-central South Dakota. They grew all-GMO crops of corn, soybeans, canola, and sunflowers along with spring wheat, barley, and flax. Necessity drove their decision to overhaul their system.

1 month ago | agriculture.com | Raylene Nickel

Husband-and-wife team Dan and Kris Nigg have increased the profitability of their corn-and-soybean operation by reducing tillage, growing cover crops, and putting variable-rate technology to work. Successful Farming spoke with Dan Nigg, who was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts, about how the three-point formula has led to better crop yields. “While yields are growing, costs are decreasing,” said Nigg, who farms in northeast South Dakota.

1 month ago | agriculture.com | Raylene Nickel

Growing cover crops to control soil erosion on cropland has long been a goal at Bartholomay Kattle Kompany in Sheldon, North Dakota. Operating on sandy land, father-and-son team Keith and Karl Bartholomay manage 4,000 acres of cropland and grassland along with 280 cow-calf pairs. The Bartholomays grow corn for cattle feed, soybeans for cash, and cover crops for both cattle feed and soil health.

2 months ago | agriculture.com | Raylene Nickel

What is the single most important thing you can do to operate profitably? Turns out, there is no one silver bullet. Profitability lies hidden in the many nooks and crannies of a farming operation. “Profitable producers are experts at efficiency; they do everything just a little bit better than average,” said Garen Paulson, University of Minnesota Extension educator in farm business management. “They can produce top crops at lower cost without sacrificing productivity.