Category: News

ASBURY PARK — Community Supported Agriculture programs vary significantly in their structure and approach, as demonstrated by three regional farmers who shared their experiences at the NOFA-NJ Winter Conference held at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel.

The panel featured Dean and Emily Buttacavoli from Cabbage Throw Farm located on the Hunterdon County side of Asbury, John Crooke who operates Tinicum CSA across the Pennsylvania border near the Frenchtown Bridge, and Jeff Tober who oversees Rancocus Creek Farm as part of the Pinelands Alliance initiative.

These Community Supported Agriculture operations have each developed distinct approaches to serve their communities, though all share the fundamental CSA model where customers pay farmers upfront for seasonal produce before crops are planted.

Crooke manages just over four acres of vegetables on a 20-acre property, working alongside his landlord who runs a roadside nursery and farm stand. The arrangement allows them to share equipment and facilities while maintaining separate operations.

“Don’t get in each other’s way,” Crooke explained about the partnership.

His operation employs nine workers, including several full-time positions, and serves 365 households who must collect their shares directly from the farm. Now in his 14th season, Crooke follows organic growing methods but hasn’t pursued formal certification.

“There’s not so much motivation to apply for organic certification,” he said. “With a CSA, you build trust.” He emphasized that his customers know and trust his farming practices.

Over the years, Crooke has adapted his program, switching from large shares to smaller options and implementing a sliding payment scale. He’s also extended pickup hours and uses direct-mail marketing with photographs. His CSA offers customer choice through selections displayed on a chalkboard.

The Buttacavolis face different pressures as their CSA represents their sole income source. Since establishing their farm in 2018, they’ve cultivated seven acres of vegetables on rented land spanning both sides of the Musconetcong River. The property came with existing organic certification.

Their program runs 32 weeks from May through December with three share sizes available. Beyond the CSA, Dean and Emily operate at three farmers markets, allowing shareholders to pick up orders at any location.

“We have a core group of customers,” Dean noted, explaining that their 125 member families “have our back.”

The couple transitioned to CSA during 2021 after feeling pressure to adapt during the 2020 season. Emily handles payments through Square, which streamlines her administrative duties.

Tober’s situation differs significantly as his farm operates under the nonprofit Pinelands Alliance. The organization acquired over 72 acres of former conventional soybean farmland, establishing both their offices and the farm operation on the preserved property.

The land required extensive rehabilitation due to erosion damage and poor stormwater management. Tober focused on reducing erosion, increasing carbon sequestration, and rebuilding soil health. His improvements included planting over 1,200 trees and implementing former Agriculture Secretary Phil Alampi’s beneficial insect program.

The farm now operates sustainably and hosts apprentices through the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farm Training. Tober launched a small CSA in his second year, which has grown to a projected 425 members for the 2026 season with a flexible 21-week share structure.

While offering only full shares, Tober encourages families to split memberships and includes pick-your-own options. The farm’s revenue breaks down as 55 percent CSA sales, 9 percent wholesale, 9 percent farm store, 5 percent deliveries, 5 percent farmers market, 4 percent fundraising events, and 7 percent grants due to their nonprofit status.

The operation also generates income from value-added products. Tober highlighted the strong relationships with members, recalling how staff received homemade baked goods and breakfast sandwiches from customers in 2015.

During the audience question period moderated by NOFA’s Lana Mustafa, the farmers shared advice for improving CSA operations. Crooke emphasized learning from other farms’ practices, while Tober acknowledged the challenge of “CSA guilt” when recruiting neighbors as members.

“It’s easier to sell a member on something new,” Dean Buttacavoli suggested, recommending introducing new vegetables including ethnic varieties to existing customers.

The farmers also appreciate traditional approaches. “It’s like vinyl records,” Crooke said about using chalkboards for customer communication.

“It’s a human-oriented enterprise,” Tober concluded, emphasizing that success depends on attention to details, tracking customer preferences, and innovating when possible.

Dean Buttacavoli, who previously farmed in Camden for three years, noted benefits of urban agriculture. “There is a benefit to growing in an urban setting,” he said, explaining that cities create demand while providing opportunities to educate consumers.

All three operations prioritize sustainability by donating surplus produce, offering pick-your-own opportunities, and composting extensively. The farmers remained available for individual conversations following the panel discussion.

CRANBURY — Frigid temperatures and bone-chilling winds couldn’t keep determined farmers and collectors away from a major equipment auction at the historic Walker Gordon Farms site this past January.

Approximately 200 people endured brutal single-digit wind chills to bid on farm machinery, antiques, and memorabilia from the legendary Walker Gordon Dairy operation, according to auctioneer Alfred Finocchiaro of Alfred’s Auctions in Monroe Township.

“We’re all just a little bit crazy,” remarked one landscaper from Monmouth County who made the trip despite the harsh conditions.

Event organizers set up steel barrel fires and designated heated areas inside barns to help attendees stay warm during the marathon January 24th sale, which lasted six hours and 22 minutes.

Finocchiaro, who grew up on family farms near Swedesboro in Gloucester County, has built strong relationships with area farmers over his career as both an auctioneer and agriculturalist. His reputation for honest dealing has made him a trusted figure in the farming community.

The veteran auctioneer noted that even more bidders would likely have attended if not for an approaching snowstorm that was predicted to hit the Mid-Atlantic region the following day.

Walker Gordon Dairy, once famous for its “Elsie the Cow” marketing campaigns, ceased dairy operations in the early 1970s. While portions of the original property along Route 1 were developed into residential communities, the auction took place on land closer to Route 130 near South Brunswick township.

“The sale featured both agricultural antiques and Walker Gordon memorabilia, which brought out a diverse crowd of farmers and collectors,” Finocchiaro explained in a follow-up phone interview. “Some of the farm machinery was over a century old, and the vintage Hickory furniture pieces were particularly popular with bidders.”

Despite the extreme weather conditions, the auctioneer praised the turnout and efficiency of the sale, crediting his team, his wife, and the cooperative spirit of all attendees.

Among the most sought-after items were five John Deere tractors, all in working condition. Finocchiaro made sure to demonstrate each machine and openly discuss any mechanical issues, such as oil leaks, before bidding began.

“Participants came from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and we certainly would have seen more out-of-state buyers without the storm forecast,” he noted.

The success of the auction stemmed partly from Walker Gordon Dairy’s enduring reputation and the skilled maintenance work performed by its mechanics and technicians through the 1970s and 1990s, Finocchiaro explained.

“Transparency is key in this business,” Finocchiaro emphasized. “If equipment has problems, I make sure everyone knows about it upfront. When a tractor leaks oil, we announce it to the entire crowd. Buyers need complete honesty about any issues with used machinery. Farmers understand equipment because they work on it themselves, so we fired up all those old tractors despite the record cold to show they ran properly. That level of openness made the whole event successful.”

As commodity prices continue to struggle, agricultural producers across Delmarva are exploring new ways to maintain profitability on their operations.

Grain sorghum has captured increased interest among local farmers in recent years, with many choosing to plant it on fields where traditional crops fail to generate adequate returns.

Although the majority of sorghum production occurs in the Great Plains states, this crop – sometimes referred to as milo – has historical roots in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Historical USDA records indicate that approximately one million acres of sorghum were cultivated along the eastern seaboard before genetically modified corn and soybeans became the dominant crops. While Delmarva states currently grow only a small portion of that historical amount, USDA data shows each state expanded sorghum acreage beyond their three-year averages last year.

Wicomico County producer Mike Harcum remembers university extension agents promoting sorghum during the late 1980s.

“They were pushing it as an alternative to corn then,” he said. “Everybody tried it.”

However, many farmers abandoned the crop due to various problems including weed management difficulties, disappointing yields, and harvesting complications. Harcum admits he typically plants sorghum reluctantly, mainly attempting to recover some value from fields destroyed by deer.

“We don’t put it on our best ground,” he said. “For me it’s a rotation thing. A lot of it’s got to do with the farm. Weather will dictate some of it.”

Industry experts report that prolonged low corn prices combined with escalating deer damage has driven farmers back to sorghum recently. Modern genetics have significantly improved compared to previous decades, enhancing both yields and crop management practices.

Tyler Franklin, who owns Elevated Ag Systems in Eastern Virginia, discusses sorghum with nearly every seed customer he visits. Franklin notes that current and projected commodity market conditions have producers considering every available option.

“If corn was $6, we wouldn’t be talking about it,” he said. “The demand is there, but that’s not the driver. The economics is pushing them along.”

Sorghum offers several advantages, including superior heat and drought resistance compared to corn, development of more extensive root systems, and the ability to reduce nematode populations that damage soybean crops. Farmers report it shows promise in double-cropping situations and typically generates substantial biomass that enhances soil organic matter. Despite improvements in genetics and management practices, its primary appeal remains its unpalatable nature to deer.

“In the last 10 years, deer have become such a problem on some places, you either plant milo or give up farming it,” Harcum said.

Steve Hurley, Harcum’s neighbor and experienced sorghum producer, cultivates between 300 and 400 acres annually. While initially adopting the crop to address deer damage, he has since invested in on-farm storage facilities and established contracts with birdseed manufacturing companies.

Hurley explains that they have conducted extensive experimentation with planting dates, seeding rates, and other management factors, as the crop’s limited regional acreage generates minimal local research compared to more common row crops.

“Every year you learn a little more,” Hurley said. “We’ve had to teach ourselves a lot over the last few years.”

Although sorghum requires less labor than corn production, Hurley emphasizes that planting it on marginal land doesn’t justify marginal management practices.

“There’s some potential,” Hurley said. “But if you treat it like a stepchild, it’ll pay you like a stepchild.”

Seed technology improvements have enhanced the situation through herbicide tolerance and hybrids specifically developed for Mid-Atlantic growing conditions.

Following a seven-year development process, Carolina Seed Systems introduced its Launch sorghum hybrid in 2019, featuring anthracnose resistance and high aphid tolerance, later releasing Launch 2.0 with genetic aphid resistance.

Company Founder and Chief Technology Officer Zach Brenton announced plans to release three additional hybrids next year with enhanced yield potential, while also developing herbicide tolerance traits.

Since 2021, Corteva, Advanta, and S&W Seed Company have introduced proprietary systems featuring herbicide-tolerant hybrids and specialized herbicide formulations enabling post-emergence grass control options.

Brenton reports that Carolina Seed System’s varieties are planted from Pennsylvania to Louisiana, with Maryland showing the fastest acreage growth. He advises farmers that sorghum deserves serious consideration in areas where corn consistently yields below 140 bushels per acre or soybeans produce less than 30 bushels per acre.

“Our biggest thing is profitability,” he said. “That’s the only way someone would change what they’re doing. They need to make more money.”

As a plant breeder, Brenton notes their sorghum focus places his company among a small national group, and an even smaller one in the Eastern United States.

“I joke that I’m one of the top 10 sorghum breeders in the country because there’s like eight of us left,” Brenton said.

Despite sorghum’s small acreage relative to corn and soybeans, Brenton claims their regionally-focused breeding program captures 60-70% of Delmarva’s sorghum acres.

“There’s no secret sauce, it’s because we breed and test here,” Brenton said. “Plant breeding is like a home field advantage. My germplasm doesn’t work in Kansas and there’s doesn’t work out here.”

With high corn input costs, planting sorghum at approximately half the expense on acres where corn performs poorly or suffers repeated deer damage has gained regional consideration.

Jarrett Hostetter, grain merchandiser at Hostetter Grain in Oxford, Pennsylvania, observed definite increased grower interest in the crop and expects this trend to continue. Two years ago, his company allocated bin space at their Cochranville facility for sorghum from Northern Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania producers, doubling capacity the following year.

“It’s more about providing a service for growers that grow the crop,” he said, noting most producers plant sorghum to address deer pressure. “The demand is definitely there. It’s been pretty consistent.”

Regional demand primarily comes from birdseed companies incorporating sorghum into their product mixes.

T.J. Collins, merchandising manager for Global Harvest Foods, which operates facilities in multiple states including Allentown, Pennsylvania, confirms significant Mid-Atlantic usage.

“It’s a very economical grain for us,” Collins said.

Collins reports that over half their national sorghum purchases supply Pennsylvania and Indiana facilities located near population centers. This proximity allows Global to offer premiums above corn prices, which sorghum typically follows.

“We can’t buy enough out in that area,” he said. “The more I can buy locally, the more I can back off on rail.”

Gary Wessner, merchandiser at Albrights Mill in Kempton, Pennsylvania, recalls that decades ago sorghum purchases were much more seasonal, but now he buys year-round.

“It’s more steady today and it does seem like it keeps growing,” he said.

However, farmers caution that advances and demand don’t make sorghum a guaranteed success. Planting on marginal ground affects yields. Weeds, aphids, and anthracnose remain potential problems. Harvest challenges, including slow dry-down and bird damage after maturity, add complications. Storage and transportation costs can reduce premiums offered by end users. Nevertheless, until deer damage is significantly controlled or corn markets return to profitable margins, sorghum remains a viable alternative.

“If we pick up the weaker acres, our overall profits increase,” Franklin said. “To me, that’s really where we need to start.”

SAN ANTONIO — A Delaware farmer from Greenwood has been posthumously honored with the most prestigious award in the soybean industry during this year’s Commodity Classic trade show in San Antonio.

The American Soybean Association presented its Pinnacle Award to the late Richard Wilkins during the 2026 ASA Awards Celebration. This top industry recognition celebrates individuals whose lifetime achievements demonstrate exceptional contribution and leadership within the soybean community.

According to ASA officials, Wilkins showed remarkable innovative leadership throughout his 53-year career that enhanced both sustainability and unity across the soybean sector.

Wilkins wore many hats as a champion for soybean producers, serving as a Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association member, ASA president, and Delaware’s former state executive director for the Farm Service Agency.

His agricultural journey started modestly in 1972 when he cultivated just three acres of soybeans on leased land. By his high school graduation in 1976, he had grown his operation to 65 acres.

These formative years shaped his lifelong commitment to diligent work, innovation, and producer-driven leadership — values that influenced his contributions throughout all levels of the soybean community.

On the state level, Wilkins served Delaware farmers as a member of the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, advocating for agricultural interests while navigating increasingly complex nutrient management requirements.

In this position, he championed research-backed, workable solutions that enabled farmers to meet environmental standards while maintaining both productivity and profitability.

ASA also credited Wilkins with a crucial role in restructuring the Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association in 2002, which guaranteed Delaware soybean growers maintained influential representation in regional and national policy conversations.

When elected ASA president in 2015, Wilkins guided the organization through significant national policy challenges, particularly during discussions surrounding Vermont’s proposed GMO labeling legislation.

His presidential leadership mobilized farmers and industry partners to inform lawmakers, ultimately achieving a consistent national food labeling framework that prevented market confusion, safeguarded consumers, and maintained industry stability.

“Richard will be remembered for his role in ensuring fair and equitable representation for smaller soybean-producing states within the American Soybean Association,” ASA said in a statement. “Richard’s enduring impact will be measured not only by the policies he helped shape and the markets he expanded, but also by the leaders he mentored.”

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Martin Proulx took on a brand new position at the Maryland Department of Agriculture in 2023, tackling a challenge many farmers across the region know well: while agricultural producers are being pushed to expand their operations, the regulations surrounding those expansions haven’t evolved to match.

Farm operations that go beyond traditional growing — such as processing products on-site, welcoming visitors for agritourism activities, or serving prepared food — require farmers to navigate a maze of different government agencies. These ventures bring health departments, zoning boards, environmental agencies, and building code officials into the picture, often creating more confusion than clarity for farm owners.

Proulx joined the department from local economic development work as Maryland’s inaugural value-added agricultural specialist, tasked with helping farmers work through these regulatory challenges. This past January, his responsibilities grew when he became chief of marketing and agricultural development, incorporating value-added farming support into broader business development and promotional efforts.

The core issues he addresses haven’t changed much with his expanded role.

“When you talk about value-added agriculture being the processing of raw agricultural product, the serving overall of cooked foods, whether it be agritourism, food service, sampling at farmer’s markets, you realize that there are a number of other regulatory agencies that enter into the equation,” Proulx said.

Traditional farming typically operates under one set of rules, but diversified farm businesses find themselves caught between multiple regulatory systems that weren’t created with these hybrid operations in mind.

During his initial two years, Proulx traveled throughout Maryland, visiting each county to meet with zoning administrators, environmental health workers, building code inspectors, and economic development representatives. Instead of addressing specific farm conflicts, his mission was to learn how different localities interpret and apply regulations.

“It was really important to flip the script, if you will,” he said.

While Maryland operates under one state agriculture department, it contains 24 separate local governments — including Baltimore City — each maintaining distinct zoning laws and land-use definitions. Agricultural activities might be classified differently for environmental compliance, tax purposes, and zoning requirements. These varying definitions typically don’t create problems until farms attempt to diversify their operations.

“As value-added agriculture continues to expand in popularity and be an economically viable option for many of these diversifying farms, or maybe even new beginning farms, you realize that agriculture and commercial are two terms that become water and oil when you’re talking about land use and zoning,” Proulx said.

This conflict becomes most apparent in the licensing process. State permits for processing or food service are typically written in broad terms, applying the same standards to a farm using an existing outbuilding and a manufacturer in an industrial complex. Local authorities, however, might handle these identical activities very differently based on how “commercial” operations are defined within agricultural districts.

According to Proulx, this creates a regulatory framework that doesn’t always work well for farming operations. Infrastructure demands add another complication.

Requirements for permanent bathroom facilities, septic installations, and waste management systems might be reasonable for year-round commercial businesses, but they can be financially overwhelming for farms testing seasonal or limited-scale projects.

“Very frequently, the infrastructure investment for permanent restrooms or permanent waste disposal, septic systems, can often come with a very, very hefty price tag that small and diversifying farm operations may not be able to necessarily take on right away,” Proulx said.

These discoveries formed the basis for a comprehensive statewide guidance and analysis document about value-added agriculture and agritourism that the department released in October. Instead of recommending major regulatory overhauls, the document outlined the current system, identified common obstacles, and pinpointed opportunities where increased flexibility or clearer guidelines could help farms succeed.

Proulx reports that some improvements have emerged since the document’s publication. The department has internally reorganized to officially connect value-added agriculture with marketing and business development functions. Additionally, proposed regulatory modifications and legislative measures designed to create more adaptable, seasonal alternatives for on-farm food service are being reviewed.

For Proulx, this effort ultimately centers on keeping farms economically sustainable in a state experiencing development pressures and agricultural land loss.

“With all of the challenges facing Maryland’s agriculture, whether that be development pressure (or) loss of farmland, it’s really, really encouraging to see the passion and the patience within the industry in diversifying and finding these new opportunities for future generations,” he said.

(Editor’s note: John Hall is a professional commodities analyst.)

Agricultural economists presenting at the Ag Forum Outlook conference on Feb. 19-20 announced their findings: “The U.S. corn outlook for 2026-27 is for reduced production, domestic use, exports and ending stocks.”

Forecasters anticipate the corn harvest will reach 15.8 billion bushels, representing approximately a 7 percent decrease compared to the previous year’s production.

Farmers are expected to plant corn on 94.0 million acres, a reduction of 4.8 million acres from last year’s totals. Yield estimates of 183.0 bushels per acre are based on assumptions of typical planting schedules and average summer weather conditions.

Despite higher beginning inventory levels from the previous season, total corn supplies are predicted to reach 17.9 billion bushels, down from the record 18.6 billion bushels recorded in 2025-26.

The situation involves multiple declining factors: fewer planted acres, reduced production, and decreased usage, combined with substantial carryover inventory from the prior year.

Overall U.S. corn consumption for 2026-27 is expected to drop roughly 2 percent due to lower domestic demand and reduced export volumes.

Food, seed, and industrial consumption remains steady at 7 billion bushels. Ethanol production is projected to utilize 5.6 billion bushels, reflecting expectations of stable gasoline consumption and export levels.

Feed and residual usage is anticipated to decline about 3 percent to 6 billion bushels based on reduced supply availability.

Export volumes are forecast to decrease by 200 million bushels to 3.1 billion.

America’s share of global corn trade is expected to shrink slightly as South American competitors increase their exports and worldwide demand growth remains modest.

The global corn landscape has undergone dramatic transformation!

Here’s the broader context. In my Feb. 17 analysis, I examined worldwide corn production patterns. The data revealed a clear trend using 2017-18 as the baseline year.

Evidence clearly demonstrates that global corn expansion began accelerating in 2021-22.

International corn production has expanded 15 percent since 2017-18, fundamentally altering the marketplace.

Where has this growth originated?

Analysis of the three largest global corn producers reveals significant insights, using 2016-17 as the comparison baseline.

Data clearly indicates substantial production increases in Brazil and China beginning in 2021-22. Research published last summer by Dr. Joana Colussi from Purdue University’s Center of Commercial Agriculture examined Brazil’s agricultural expansion.

While the study mentioned China’s growth, the scale became apparent later: China added approximately 4.6 million acres of farmland between 2020 and late 2024 through land reclamation projects and high-quality farmland development.

China’s total cultivated area reached nearly 319.57 million acres in 2024.

What drives this expansion? China’s enormous appetite for pork provides the answer.

Reports from April 2025 showed China maintaining 427 million head of pigs, compared to the European Union’s 132 million head and the United States’ 76 million head during the same period.

This massive livestock population explains their substantial corn requirements for feed production, as well as their soybean needs for protein supplementation in pig feed.

As noted in my Feb. 17 analysis, China’s grain reserves represent almost two-thirds of global ending stocks.

Their food security approach has transformed from rigid government-controlled self-sufficiency (1949-1970s) to market-based strategies emphasizing “absolute security of staple foods.”

Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, the strategy emphasizes 95 percent grain self-sufficiency, stringent farmland preservation, and agricultural technology advancement, shifting focus from quantity alone to quality and diversification.

Beginning in 2004, policy evolved to prioritize “guaranteed supply” through international commerce while maintaining tight oversight of domestic wheat and rice production.

Consequently, the government maintains a year’s worth of grain reserves, distributing supplies to farmers gradually.

This system also enables government control over farmer pricing.

Given China’s position as the world’s largest grain purchaser, we must analyze President Xi Jinping’s statement about “95 percent grain self-sufficiency, strict farmland protection, and agricultural technology, transitioning from mere quantity to quality and diversification.”

This suggests they have made substantial investments in domestic agricultural expansion and intend to reduce import dependency.

Taking this analysis further, this likely explains their significant investments in Brazilian agriculture to achieve this “self-sufficiency.”

What triggered this strategic shift? Many attribute it to Trump’s trade tariffs. However, examining the timeline reveals Trump’s first presidency spanned 2017-20.

What other major event occurred? COVID-19 was initially identified in China during December 2019, rapidly spreading globally thereafter.

COVID-19 severely damaged global food security by disrupting supply networks, forcing factory shutdowns, and limiting transportation, resulting in widespread hunger and revealing vulnerabilities in food production and distribution systems.

Lockdown measures and economic disruptions amplified these problems, exposing more populations to food insecurity.

The chronology suggests COVID-19 served as the primary catalyst for President Xi Jinping’s strategic thinking shift. If accurate, this altered perspective has transformed the global commodity grain marketplace. This deserves serious consideration!

Returning to U.S. corn utilization completes this analysis. Recent data shows usage patterns for the past two years and projections for the upcoming season.

The information indicates usage has remained relatively stable. As noted, U.S. corn projections for 2026-27 anticipate reduced production, domestic consumption, exports, and ending inventory, which current data confirms.

In conclusion, effective marketing requires understanding both customers and competitors. I detected market changes this past year due to unusually flat price patterns.

This research helps explain the underlying causes. Assuming this data proves accurate, don’t anticipate significant price improvements without major drought conditions.

Additionally, the market appears unable to absorb increased production.

It seems reducing planted acres might support pricing? Is this feasible for producers?

(Note: I research material from Allendale, DTN, USDA, University Land Grants and other credible sources in compiling this article. It is not merely my opinion, but rather a consensus of experts in the trade. Looking for a marketing coach or someone to discuss strategies with? Contact me at [email protected], or call 410-708-8781.)

Delaware farmers are running out of time to secure crop insurance protection for the 2026 growing season, with the sales deadline fast approaching on March 15th.

According to Shelby Twenter, who serves as Vice President of Crop and Livestock Insurance at FCS Financial, agricultural producers need to take immediate action to ensure they have adequate coverage in place. Twenter recently outlined several critical updates that farmers should be aware of for the upcoming policy year.

Key steps that Delaware growers must complete before the deadline include refreshing their business entity details with insurance providers and providing their 2025 harvest yields to ensure premium calculations reflect accurate production history. This yield information is essential for obtaining precise coverage quotes and determining appropriate protection levels.

Farmers are also encouraged to carefully evaluate their coverage alternatives to select policies that best match their operation’s specific needs and risk tolerance. Insurance experts recommend consulting with local agricultural insurance representatives to navigate the various options available and ensure compliance with all requirements before the March 15th cutoff date.

Delaware’s trout farming sector faced economic headwinds as sales revenues fell by 6 percent when compared to the previous year, according to newly released federal agriculture statistics.

The latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service shows the downturn in trout production value, while also documenting distribution networks and industry losses across the sector.

The report provides insight into the challenges facing aquaculture operations in the region, as trout farmers navigate market conditions that have impacted their bottom line.

The federal statistics track various aspects of the trout industry, including how fish are distributed to markets and the extent of losses experienced by producers during the reporting period.

Delaware’s agricultural sector is feeling the impact of declining egg production, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The latest report shows that shell egg production has fallen by 8 percent compared to the same timeframe in the previous year. This decrease represents a significant shift in one of the region’s important agricultural commodities.

The decline in egg production could have implications for both local farmers and consumers throughout the Delmarva Peninsula, where poultry operations represent a major component of the agricultural economy.

The USDA’s findings highlight ongoing challenges facing the egg industry as producers navigate market conditions and operational demands.

Delaware’s agricultural community is facing economic headwinds as commodity prices dropped significantly last month, according to new federal data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Prices Received Index for agricultural products declined by 3.9 percent during January, marking a notable decrease that impacts farming operations throughout the Delmarva Peninsula region.

This price drop affects the income that local farmers receive for their crops and livestock, potentially influencing planting decisions and farm budgets for the coming growing season.

The index, which tracks what farmers earn for their agricultural products, serves as a key indicator of the financial health of the farming sector across Delaware and the broader Mid-Atlantic region.

Local agricultural producers may need to adjust their operations and marketing strategies in response to these changing market conditions as they prepare for spring planting season.

Delaware farmers and agricultural producers throughout the region saw their peanut earnings decline during the week that concluded on February 21st, according to new agricultural data.

Payment rates for farmer stock peanuts dropped to an average of 15.6 cents per pound, representing a decrease of 4.3 cents from earlier pricing levels. The weekly pricing report tracks compensation received by agricultural producers for their peanut harvests across all categories of farmer stock varieties.

This pricing decline affects local farming operations throughout Delaware and the broader Mid-Atlantic agricultural region, where peanut cultivation represents an important component of the diverse crop portfolio for many producers.

As commodity prices remain stubbornly low, Delaware and regional farmers are expanding their search for profitable alternatives, with many taking a fresh look at grain sorghum.

The crop, also known as milo, has attracted renewed interest from local growers who are planting it on fields where traditional crops like corn and soybeans offer little financial return.

Though the majority of American sorghum acreage lies in the Great Plains, this grain is far from new to the Mid-Atlantic area. Historical USDA records indicate that before genetically modified corn and soybeans took over the agricultural landscape, approximately one million acres of sorghum were cultivated along the east coast. While Delmarva states now grow only a small portion of that amount, each state expanded its sorghum acreage last year beyond the three-year average, federal data shows.

Wicomico County farmer Mike Harcum remembers university researchers promoting sorghum back in the late 1980s.

“They were pushing it as an alternative to corn then,” he said. “Everybody tried it.”

However, many producers were dissatisfied with the crop at that time due to various problems including weed control difficulties, disappointing yields, and harvesting complications. Harcum admits that most seasons, he plants sorghum reluctantly as a last-ditch effort to recover something from fields destroyed by deer.

“We don’t put it on our best ground,” he said. “For me it’s a rotation thing. A lot of it’s got to do with the farm. Weather will dictate some of it.”

But persistent low corn prices and escalating deer pressure have driven farmers back to sorghum in recent years, according to agricultural industry professionals. Genetic improvements over the past decades have enhanced both yields and crop management practices.

Tyler Franklin, who owns Elevated Ag Systems in Eastern Virginia, says sorghum comes up in conversations with nearly every seed customer he visits. Franklin explains that current and projected commodity market conditions have growers considering every available option.

“If corn was $6, we wouldn’t be talking about it,” he said. “The demand is there, but that’s not the driver. The economics is pushing them along.”

Sorghum offers several advantages, including superior heat and drought resistance compared to corn, development of larger root systems, and the ability to interrupt nematode cycles that harm soybean fields. Farmers report it shows promise in double-cropping situations and typically generates substantial biomass that adds to soil organic matter. Despite genetic and agronomic improvements, its greatest appeal remains its unpalatable nature to deer.

“In the last 10 years, deer have become such a problem on some places, you either plant milo or give up farming it,” Harcum said.

Steve Hurley, Harcum’s neighbor and a veteran sorghum producer who plants between 300 and 400 acres each year, initially chose the crop to combat deer damage. He has since invested in on-farm storage facilities for sorghum and established contracts with birdseed manufacturers.

Through years of experience, Hurley says they have conducted extensive experiments with planting timing, seeding rates, and other factors, as the crop’s relatively small local acreage generates limited research compared to more common row crops.

“Every year you learn a little more,” Hurley said. “We’ve had to teach ourselves a lot over the last few years.”

While sorghum requires less labor overall than corn production, Hurley emphasizes that placing it on marginal land doesn’t justify marginal management practices.

“There’s some potential,” Hurley said. “But if you treat it like a stepchild, it’ll pay you like a stepchild.”

Seed technology improvements have enhanced the situation through herbicide tolerance and varieties better adapted to Mid-Atlantic growing conditions.

Following a seven-year development process, Carolina Seed Systems introduced its Launch sorghum variety in 2019 with anthracnose resistance and strong aphid tolerance, later releasing Launch 2.0 with genetic aphid resistance.

Company founder and Chief Technology Officer Zach Brenton reports plans to launch three additional varieties next year featuring improved yield potential, while also developing herbicide tolerance traits.

Since 2021, Corteva, Advanta, and S&W Seed Company have introduced proprietary systems combining herbicide-tolerant varieties with specialized herbicide formulations that enable post-emergence grass control.

Brenton says Carolina Seed System varieties are planted from Pennsylvania to Louisiana, with Maryland showing the fastest acreage growth. He advises farmers that areas where corn consistently produces under 140 bushels per acre or soybeans yield below 30 bushels per acre should seriously consider sorghum.

“Our biggest thing is profitability,” he said. “That’s the only way someone would change what they’re doing. They need to make more money.”

As a plant breeder, Brenton notes that their sorghum focus places his company among a small national group, and an even more exclusive one in the Eastern United States.

“I joke that I’m one of the top 10 sorghum breeders in the country because there’s like eight of us left,” Brenton said.

Despite sorghum’s small acreage relative to corn and soybeans, their regionally-focused breeding program captures between 60-70% of Delmarva’s sorghum acres, according to Brenton.

“There’s no secret sauce, it’s because we breed and test here,” Brenton said. “Plant breeding is like a home field advantage. My germplasm doesn’t work in Kansas and there’s doesn’t work out here.”

With high corn input costs, planting sorghum at roughly half the expense on acres where corn performs poorly or suffers repeated deer destruction has gained increased regional consideration.

Jarrett Hostetter, a grain merchandiser with Hostetter Grain in Oxford, Pennsylvania, observed a definite surge of grower interest.

“There was definitely a groundswell of growers that were interested in it,” said Hostetter. “I expect that to continue.”

Two years ago, Hostetter’s company allocated bin space at their Cochranville facility to accept sorghum from growers in Northern Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania, doubling that capacity the following year.

“It’s more about providing a service for growers that grow the crop,” he said, noting most planted sorghum to address deer pressure. “The demand is definitely there. It’s been pretty consistent.”

Regional demand primarily comes from birdseed companies incorporating sorghum into their products.

T.J. Collins, merchandising manager for Global Harvest Foods, which operates facilities in multiple states including Allentown, Pennsylvania, confirms substantial Mid-Atlantic usage.

“We use a very significant amount in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Collins. “It’s a very economical grain for us.”

Collins explains that over half their national sorghum purchases supply their Pennsylvania and Indiana facilities located near population centers. This proximity allows Global to offer premiums above corn prices, which sorghum typically follows.

“We can’t buy enough out in that area,” he said “The more I can buy locally, the more I can back off on rail.”

Gary Wessner, merchandiser at Albrights Mill in Kempton, Pennsylvania, recalls that decades ago sorghum purchases were much more seasonal, but now he buys year-round.

“It’s more steady today and it does seem like it keeps growing,” he said.

However, farmers caution that advances and demand don’t make sorghum a guaranteed success. Planting on marginal ground affects yields. Weeds, aphids, and anthracnose remain problematic. Harvest complications, from drying issues to bird damage after maturity, create additional challenges. Storage and transportation costs can erode premiums offered by end users. Still, until deer damage is significantly reduced or corn markets return to profitability, sorghum remains a viable alternative.

“If we pick up the weaker acres, our overall profits increase,” Franklin said. “To me, that’s really where we need to start.”

Delaware farmers may soon see relief from mountains of federal paperwork thanks to a new initiative announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins revealed the One Farmer, One File program during this week’s 2026 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

The new initiative is designed to make government operations more efficient and reduce the administrative burden on agricultural producers. “I have no idea how these farmers have been dealing with this all these years,” Rollins stated when discussing the current system.

According to the Secretary, the program will modernize digital processes to create a more streamlined experience for farmers who regularly interact with USDA programs and services.