New app to help Wisconsin farmers estimate corn prices

MADISON — As Wisconsin farmers plan for this year's corn crop harvest, producers can now use a phone app to estimate what price they would receive for animal feed.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that two University of Wisconsin-Extension agents Greg Blonde and Ryan Sterry have developed the Corn Silage Pricing App, which uses data from national and local reports to estimate prices.

Farmers can either sell corn as a grain on the commodity market or turn the plant into silage for cattle feed.

Blonde says grain prices are typically set by the market, but farmers must calculate their own silage price. That process typically involves spreadsheets and formulas, which can be difficult to do away from a computer.

Sterry says the app gives farmers the portability needed to discuss prices anywhere.