Business Management

Producers of forage crops have multiple management issues to consider. Here you can find an extensive range of resources covering farm management and budgeting for forage crops, including marketing and pricing, crop insurance, and diversification.

Farm Management Best Practices for Forage Crop Producers

There are several ways livestock producers can manage their pastures and forage crops. Farm management best practices ensure improved yields, quality, persistence, and bottom-line profitability. Best practices include forage quality testing and crop rotation.

Penn State Extension educators and resources are available for producers who need to assess their crops. Learn more about crop, pest, and nutrient management with the Pennsylvania Certified Crop Adviser Study Guide. Crop Days provide opportunities to learn about the newest innovations for the coming season and information on the latest research, products, and technology.

Producers are able to spread the downside risk of growing forage crops by practicing diversification. Grazing cover crops before planting corn and summer annual species extends the grazing season and provides additional financial gains. Diversified grazing systems also help to maintain healthy and productive soil.

Effective agronomic marketing of your forage crops can have a significant impact on the profitability of your business. On this page, you’ll find plenty of resources to help you market your forage crops successfully. Trading corn harvested as corn silage and high moisture grain compared to dry shelled or dry ear can be beneficial for both the grower and the feeder. Being able to determine the true cost of forage production is also very important. One way to do this is to use a spreadsheet to price standing hay-crop forage.

Forage Crop Yield and Crop Insurance

A variety of things can affect forage crop production. Many of these are out of the control of the farmer, such as flood damage in lowland fields. Precautionary measures to control damage are necessary. A crop insurance plan assists in the stabilization of crop production and reduces the negative impact of crop damage.

There are two basic types of crop policies: multiple peril crop insurance and crop-hail insurance. Multiple peril insurance is offered through a program backed by the federal government. However, coverage is only for certain crops. The Risk Management Agency decides which crops will be insured in each county. Forage seeding is insurable in every county in Pennsylvania, except Philadelphia. Forage crops must have been grown during 1 or more years after the year of establishment.

When arranging crop insurance you have to provide information about yields. Methods for determining yields are also essential when budgeting feed, making management decisions, and determining net return on investment. There is the option of using the Crop Cents Mobile App to calculate the cost to produce home raised forage crops.