Producers began planting oats, spring barley, sweet corn and other early planted crops in earnest this weekend with the arrival of a much-anticipated warm, dry weather pattern. Last year at this time, some grain producers actually had planted field corn and soybeans — but not this year.

Although there will probably be some planted very soon, it would be safe to say no one has planted those crops yet.

The extended cold March weather into mid-April will cause many producers to really scramble. Chores such as hauling manure, spring plowing and small grain seeding need completed ASAP. In some cases, fields remain too wet to conduct any field activities; these are generally the poorly drained soils.

Farmers that operate on well-drained soils will get all their chores done timely if their equipment is ready to go and supplies are on hand. Regardless of the size of the machinery or the age, if it is well maintained, now is when dividends, so to speak, are earned. Most producers in this area have purchased good used equipment that they can afford. This practice seems to make good financial sense for these producers and they get their crops planted and harvested just fine.

As for planting oats, Butler County still ranks in the top five counties in the state at 5,000 acres. However, oats are not grown on nearly as many farms as 10 or 15 years ago.

It used to be that there were more small dairy and livestock operations and they all grew oats for the livestock. Today soybeans, corn or hay acres have replaced some of the acreage that was devoted to oats. In addition, some could be attributed to urban sprawl.

Grain producers to some extent are not too keen on oats. They can be difficult to market and do not yield as much straw as wheat or barley. Moreover, they are not worth as much. That could change due to reduced plantings this year, but then it seems oats from Canada always come into feed mills cheaper than they should be; meaning, once again, local prices are depressed.

The posted county price at FSA today is $2.35/bu, which producers would be glad to take, but the local price picked up at the farm probably is not that high. In any event, oats acreage will be less than 5,000 acres this year.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.