Estimated boost in corn harvest has farmers worried

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — Agricultural officials are projecting an 11 percent increase in the size of Wisconsin's corn harvest this year. That has farmers worried that prices will drop too low for them to make a profit.

An Eau Claire Leader-Telegram report says state projections call for corn yields of 162 bushels per acre. That's up 16 bushels per acre from last year.

Chippewa Falls farmer Randy Woodruff is a member of the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board He says a bountiful crop would put corn prices around $3.50 per bushel, or about half the price from two years ago.

He suspects that low corn prices will persist for several years. He says farmers might be more likely to diversify into other crops such as soybeans.

Chippewa County agriculture agent Jerry Clark says corn farmers who've already contracted prices are likely to have better rates.