By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Record floods across the state are leaving farmers with a question – to do prevented planting or try to beat the rain.

With more rain expected throughout the week, Illinois farmers only have planted 35 percent of corn and 14 percent of soybeans and continually to deal with flooded fields. Speaking with WJBC’s Marc Strauss, Sean Jordal with Pro Harvest Seed says farmers need to evaluate their situation.

“There is a lot of misinformation in terms of what they think their actual cost of production is. That is what is going to make or break them this year” added Jordal. “The insurance is there as a safe guard, but there might be other options, whether you are rotating to another crop or you take a partial preventative plant payment in corn and you go to soybeans there is a lot of different options.”

Although crop insurance will help farmers financially in the short-term, Jordal said farmers need to do a cost-benefit analysis.

LISTEN: WJBC’s Marc Strauss talks preventative planting with Sean Jordal. 

“I think the biggest thing is that growers need to figure you know is what is their cost of production,” added Jordal. “What do they need to net or have gross revenue to turn into net revenue. To figure out whether growing a crop at these reduced yield potentials and really understand financially where they are at.”

Deadlines for preventative planting for soybeans are June 15th or 20th.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].