Forty years after the Tennessee Corn Growers Association formed, Upper Cumberland corn producers continue to strengthen the region’s agricultural economy.
University of Tennessee Extension Farm Management Specialist Andy Davis said local feed mills create a unique premium market for grain.
“We have a lot of demand for corn in Middle Tennessee and specifically the Upper Cumberland because we have a lot of local end users,” Davis said. “We’re in the hills and hollers and foothills that Middle and East Tennessee are so well known for, but there’s a lot of demand for corn here. If we can get it grown, we can get it sold and get a pretty good premium for it just because the demand is so high.”
Davis said that while flat fields in West Tennessee historically outpace the rest of the state in pure acreage, local field topography does not limit regional production capacity.
“Our yields are just as good, we can produce with anybody,” Davis said. “Because of that regional demand or that localized demand, we have an outlet for our corn that has a tremendous economic impact for our farmers in our region.”
Davis said recent weather patterns brought rainfall to salvage regional harvests, though global supply issues continue to strain operational choices.
“Yields this year and this past year specifically for us have been fantastic, we’ve had the rain,” Davis said. “But then the next thing you know, diesel fuel’s hitting six dollars, our fertilizer’s through the roof as a result of the war in Iran. While we’re seeing good yields and good prices, a lot of that money’s having to go right back out just to fill our fuel tanks.”
Davis said his operation counters tighter margins by implementing data-driven resource tracking on his acreage.
“We’re heavily into precision agriculture,” Davis said. “Grid sampling where we’re only applying the nutrients that the ground needs to keep from over-applying nutrients and avoiding runoff. That not only helps our bottom line because we’re applying less, but it also helps us be better stewards.”
Davis said local networking groups remain a lifeline to support the next generation of family operations.
“When you have something like Tennessee Corn Growers where you’ve got an association that cares so much about the overall ag economy, you’ve got an organization that you know is going to go to bat for you,” Davis said. “They’re there to ensure the next generation is ready to go when it’s time.”
