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Farmer didn’t think 2020 could be as bad as 2019
2019 was a year farmers won’t soon forget and 2020 has already made history. Like many farmers, Northwest Illinois corn and soybean producer Kate Danner was ready to put the struggles of 2019 behind her.
“Spring flooding turned into a drought in the muddle of the summer and then we had snow on Halloween and then the river flooded again. Things you didn’t think were possible all happened in the matter of six months. It was just unbelievable.”
She says she came into the new decade with a great deal of optimism, but then came COVID-19.
“Now with the pandemic, I very much owe an apology to 2019 for the way that I have talked about it because 2020 is not shaping up to be much better.”
Danner says while COVID-19 has impacted futures markets, it has not slowed down planting preparation. Weather, however, is following last year’s trend with spring flooding in her area after 3 inches of snow Thursday night.
Nonetheless, Danner remains optimistic for a better growing season and says with temperatures headed for the 60’s this week, she should be able to start planting soybeans.
Danner serves as an At-Large Director for the Illinois Corn Growers Association.
Interview with Kate Danner
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