A brief outline of the farming sector in Nebraska

Nebraska is a very agro-focused state.

Agriculture is the #1 economic contributor and producer in the entire state, employing a significant portion of the working population. The agricultural contribution is so significant, in fact, cash receipts from farms across the state reported over $21 billion to Nebraska’s economy in 2017.

Needless to say, agriculture is an occupation nearly synonymous with Nebraska. It’s truly the heart soul of the state’s development and progress.

According to a statistical analysis of the Nebraska farming sector, it was found that more than 92% of the state’s total usable land area is covered in farm crops, cattle farms, ranches, and other forms of agricultural infrastructure. This just goes to show the level of involvement in agriculture in the state.

Geography and Weather of Nebraska :

Nebraska is a midwestern state that merges the prairies of the Great Plains, the towering dunes of the Sandhills, and the panhandle’s unique rock formations all in one place. Lincoln, the capital, was once known for being “The Great American Desert”.

• In 1927, Nebraskan Edwin E. Perkins invented Kool-Aid.
• Nebraska’s nickname was once the “Tree Planter’s State”
• In 1945 nickname was changed to the “Cornhusker State”

Many of the state’s museums highlight it’s pioneering past and farm culture.

In other words, in Nebraska, farming is an art. One that benefits the economic status of the entire country. Nebraska has beautiful rolling and rugged plains interspersed with rivers and streams that keep the farmland well irrigated. It is surrounded by the neighboring states of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota – states also well known for their farming and agricultural contribution.

Buttes and prairies are found throughout the majority of the landscape along with some wooded areas. Many national tourists opt to drive through Nebraska in an effort to explore Nebraska’s buttes and scenic byway.

These elements combine to make a uniquely beautiful scenic landscape within Nebraska.

Weather

The weather of Nebraska is temperamental at best. Sometimes it’s downright adverse for the crops, cattle, and overall seasonal growth. Rain, hail, and waterlogging are common in Nebraska.

Generally, Nebraska enjoys warm summers and dry winters. However, due to untimely rains, farmers frequently have to delay their planting pace. This means Nebraska farmers will experience cropless seasons from time to time.

When farmers need to plant prime crops like corn, these delays can impact the overall seasonal yield. As the delay in planting can cause the farmers to miss the optimum window when the crops would grow best – this proves to be a challenge that technology has yet to overcome.

Farming equipment frequently used on Nebraska farms:

Nebraska farming equipment consists of typical equipment found across the midwest.

Tractors like JD 4250, Ford 5000 and JD 4630 are some of the notable tractors used in the farming industry in the region. Farmers are also familiar with the combine harvesters like the IH 2166 combine.

The IH Corn and flex head is also very common amongst Nebraska farmers and ranchers. It’s a very useful and often necessary piece of farming equipment. In Nebraska, these machines provide planting in a typical – 12 rows long – which is the normal length on farms across the US. On top of this, the J and M Grain carts are used along with anhydrous applicators.

Additionally, Nebraska farmers use a field cultivator to cultivate the entire field at once, which reduces a lot of the workload on employees. Finally, we’ve also sold our bump gate attachment to Nebraska farmers who has immense amounts of land to navigate with frequent cattle or crop checks.

These are just some of the most popular pieces of equipment used by farmers in Nebraska to cultivate crops.

Meat & Crops

In 2014, Nebraska ranked #4 across the entire United States for commercial meat production. Additionally, there is an estimated total of 3.1 million farm pigs raised in Nebraska. Approximately 1.88 billion bushels of corn came from Nebraska in 2012.

Nebraska has always been dedicated to farming and providing important commodities to the US population and abroad. These are primarily, crops like corn, beans, hay, wheat, and other consumables. Farmers also practice livestock rearing to supplement the economy and this provides cattle and calves to the nation.

Further, the is known as the “Cornhusker State” – one reason being, it is the third largest producer of corn in the United States.

A final note

Due to the significant contribution of Nebraskan farmers toward the gross domestic agricultural production, farming is a thriving and well-established community. The community is passionate and supportive of local farming, which makes such a difficult task look somewhat effortless.

Even though farming is such a crucial part of the local economy, there are only about 49,100 farms in Nebraska.

Due to the true grit of local farmers, the condition of the ranches and the farms continue to improve and the economy is flourishing despite the weather or climate-related setbacks. Nebraska farming is truly the result of camaraderie and strong community (and individual) efforts.