Planting wheat this spring is a good option for farmers across the U.S. Northern Plains who are looking to manage input costs and want a durable crop that can stand up to weather stress.
That advice comes from Limagrain Cereal Seeds team members Zach Thibault, based in Bozeman, Montana, and Troy Gerding from Fargo, North Dakota. RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney caught up with Thibault and Gerding to look at how spring wheat compares to other crop options like corn and canola for 2025. Both agree that wheat offers market stability and flexibility, making it a resilient choice for farmers despite economic challenges and weather uncertainties.
Gerding says when he looks at the cash markets he sees depressed prices. That makes a spring wheat crop, with fewer inputs and less upfront costs for seed and fertilizer, more attractive. “I think you’re really going to come out ahead compared to putting in something like corn or canola where you’ve got really high input costs,” he notes.
For growers choosing spring wheat, Thibault emphasizes the importance of selecting the right wheat variety based on soil type and precipitation, and managing protein levels to avoid discounts.
Other tips from the Limagrain team include: ensuring proper nutrient management for spring wheat, avoiding over-cutting inputs that can impact yield potential; incorporating spring wheat into a well-planned crop rotation, considering the benefits to the following year’s crop; and exploring marketing strategies to take advantage of the flexibility offered by the wheat market. Watch the interview below.
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