Robert Tigner
United States
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Articles by Robert Tigner
Drought Decisions: Profit Maximizing Decisions During and After Drought Conditions
By Robert Tigner and Elliott Dennis Forage, pasture, and weather conditions Over the last several months, there have been increasing drought conditions that started in the Southwest and moved into some parts of the Northern Plains. As of August 2020, most of the Western U.S., including parts of western and central Nebraska, were experiencing or likely to develop drought conditions. The U.S. drought monitor is one tool that producers can use to monitor and track drought conditions in their region.
Estimating a Fair Value for Standing Forage
By Jay Parsons, Daren Redfearn, Mary Drewnoski and Robert Tigner Several things need to be considered when deciding what value to place on standing forage. Forage prices reflect current inventories, demand, expected current season production and associated yield risk, and quality characteristics. Standing forage can be harvested in a number of different ways which need to be considered when pricing it.
The NonProfit Times
The nonprofit sector will face, as always, legislative challenges on many fronts as we move into 2022. Some threats are active and with us now, while others are lurking. It’s probably a misnomer to call what follows “highlights.” Here are the items and subjects drawing the most attention from us at The Nonprofit Alliance (TNPA). Postage Rates Postal rates did what they always do during 2021. But, something was very different this time.
Grain Marketing 2020: Farm Survival and COVID-19
Grain elevator and train at Canton, Kansas Photo: K-State Research and Extension - Creative Commons Let’s state the obvious: this isn’t a typical year and we all know it. For farmers, it is a survival year. Why? And what might be done to make it through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic? This article will discuss how to build a marketing strategy to assure that the farm continues to the next crop year.
Nutrient Levels, Fertility, and the Price Squeeze
By Robert Tigner, Charles Shapiro and Richard Ferguson Current economic conditions are a challenge for crop producers to earn profits from corn, soybean, winter wheat, and milo production. Following is a discussion around how to make nutrient decisions this year. Robert Tigner is an Extension educator focusing on agricultural economic issues. Charles Shapiro and Richard Ferguson are soil fertility specialists at the University of Nebraska Extension.
Cattle inventory analysis: Is the herd expansion done?
The U.S. beef herd size periodically cycles through expansion and contraction, with about a 10-year cycle. This cycle is largely due to the time it takes to build because of cattle biology. The low point of the current beef cycle was 2014 following droughts in 2011 and 2012, along with high feed prices in 2013, which led to large cattle herd reductions. The USDA recently released the January Cattle Inventory report which confirmed the July 2019 preliminary cattle report.
Best management practices in crop marketing
By Robert Tigner Marketing a farm production is one of the most important management activities that farm owners accomplish. Farmers are both an optimistic and a pessimistic lot. Planting is a very optimistic activity. However, their pessimism about prices often stymies a marketing plan. A few best management practices (BMP) can help marketers to implement their plan.
How will the corn export market change in the next decade?
Contributed by Robert Tigner Published on 26 July 2019 An interesting article recently published by Fabio Mattos, UNL grain economist, discussed changes that have happened and are likely to continue to happen in the world’s corn export market as Brazil further develops its corn production. Mattos points out that Brazil now exports 20 million metric tons of maize up from almost no exports 20 years ago. At the same time, Brazil has increased its maize production fourfold.
Making crop marketing plans that consider yield uncertainty
By Robert Tigner, Jessica Groskopf and Cory Walters Because of large global ending stocks of corn and soybeans, news of flood damage has not affected the futures price of these commodities as one might have expected. This is a challenge for farmers facing flood damage, as their revenue will be affected by both lower-than-usual yields and possibly lower prices, and costs incurred because of flooding.
Flood-Damaged Cropland - Should Leases be Adjusted?
Flooded cropland in Nebraska, 2019. Photo: Nebraska CropWatch Where there is significant damage from flooding to cropland, should the rental rate be adjusted for 2019? The answer lies in the characteristics of the individual situation. This article provides guidance on adjusting rental rates for flood-damaged land with different lease characteristics. How bad is the damage and who is going to fix it? Flood damage can be categorized into two types.
Ways to Stretch Cash Flow
Canceling or renegotiating leases that are unprofitable is one way to help stretch your cash flow. ( Troy Walz, University of Nebraska Extension ) Over time, negative cash flows will put farm and ranch businesses, and the lifestyle of the owners, at serious risk. The following suggestions for additions to cash flow are adapted from Iowa State Extension AgDecsionmaker C3-58, Farm Financial Management: 16 Ways to Stretch Cash Flow, written by William Edwards, retired extension ag economist.
Ways for farmers and ranchers to stretch cash flow
Ag economists offer 13 suggestions to improve your situation. Feb 26, 2019 By Robert Tigner and Austin Duerfeldt Over time, negative cash flows will put farm and ranch businesses — and the lifestyle of the owners — at serious risk. The following suggestions for adding to cash flow are adapted from Iowa State Extension AgDecisionmaker C3-58, Farm Financial Management: 16 Ways to Stretch Cash Flow, written by William Edwards, retired Extension ag economist. Here are 13 suggestions: 1.
Using the DuPont System to Increase Farm/Ranch Profitability
By : Robert Tigner, Nebraska Extension Educator A system of financial analysis developed nearly 100 years ago is a useful tool for ranch managers analyzing financial performance. Photo credit Troy Walz. One challenge farm/ranch operators have is to accurately find where to make changes to an operation to increase profits. Many have the records and numbers but don’t know where to start.
Using the DuPont System to Increase Farm/Ranch Profitability
By Robert Tigner One challenge farm/ranch operators have is to accurately find where to make changes to an operation to increase profits. Many have the records and numbers but don’t know where to start. A system of financial analysis developed nearly 100 years ago by an explosive salesman for DuPont Explosives Company is a useful tool for farm/ranch managers analyzing financial performance.
Farm Finances: The DuPont System - 3 Steps to Increase Profitability
One challenge farm/ranch operators have is to accurately find where to make changes to an operation to increase profits. Many have the records and numbers but don’t know where to start. A system of financial analysis developed nearly 100 years ago by an explosive salesman for DuPont Explosives Company is a useful tool for farm/ranch managers analyzing financial performance.
Partial budgeting: Making incremental farm business changes
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Business owners must often make decisions about changes they are either contemplating or changes that have to be made. Many of the decisions are incremental, such as adding land, expanding or reducing an enterprise, adding an enterprise or changing how an enterprise is managed. Analyzing the whole farm impacts for these types of changes is unnecessary. The partial budget is a useful tool for farm managers when these situations arise.
Partial budgeting: Making incremental farm business changes
Business owners must often make decisions about changes they are either contemplating or changes that have to be made. Many of the decisions are incremental, such as adding land, expanding or reducing an enterprise, adding an enterprise, or changing how an enterprise is managed. Analyzing the whole farm impacts for these types of changes is unnecessary. The partial budget is a useful tool for farm managers when these situations arise.
Projecting crop income for 2019
By Robert Tigner As the 2018 harvest finishes across Nebraska, it is time to think about next year. Recently, Nebraska Extension released 78 crop budgets to help farmers plan financially for the coming growing season. Growers can do their own crop income projection, using these budgets and a three-step projection method. Step 1. Yield estimate The first step is to decide what yield to use in the financial projections.
Estimating crop storage costs and post-harvest marketing
By Robert Tigner Many farmers own grain bins, which can have several benefits. Drying and storing grain, preserving identity, and speeding harvest are among these. One of the more important reasons many farmers utilize grain bins is to store grain for later sale at higher prices. However, just because grain bins are available, it doesn’t mean it makes economic sense to store grain for later sale — for example, when the costs of storage are greater than the price increase.
New Farm/Ranch Employee Intake
As has been said many times, “You can’t make a first impression twice.” And the same goes for bringing in a new employee into a farm or ranch. A good practice is to follow a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the new employee orientation. Let’s look at a suggested SOP for new employees. 1) Background and overview of the farm or ranch: The new employee can benefit from an understanding of the full operation of the farm or ranch.
Characteristics of financially resilient farms
By Robert Tigner During the last 10 years, the economic environment that U.S. farms faced has been extremely variable. During 2009-12, incomes and net returns increased, and in 2013-14, they peaked. Production costs rose with the increasing income and began to decline in 2013, however, not as rapidly as revenue declined. Farm profitability declined due to the narrowing margins for grain production.
USDA livstock and dairy outlook
On Dec. 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the most recent first half 2018 price and production forecast for meat, milk and eggs. The summary of the projections is in Figure 1 below. USDA is generally projecting increased meat, milk and egg production for first half 2018.
Cutting excess spring pasture for hay
Abundant spring rain. That’s something most folks received this year. How will you handle the excess pasture growth all that rain will produce?Extra rain produces extra grass. As pastures grow faster than cattle can eat, finding ways to use this extra grass efficiently can be like money in the bank. The most obvious way to conserve extra growth is by cutting hay from parts of the pasture.
How much is standing hay worth?
Very soon this question will pop up and will ask about selling a full year of production or a specific cutting. Getting a handle on how much either is worth is often just guess work. There is a better way. First we need to set a price for hay after harvest and then subtract the cost of harvest to get the value of hay standing in the field. At this point someone asks "where do I get those prices and costs?" Let's get the hay price first.
Managing soapweed, yucca in southwest Nebraska pastures
Yucca is a native perennial plant throughout much of southwest Nebraska. Yucca density can be as high as 2,000 plants per acre. The high density can severely reduce quality and quantity of forage for livestock and wildlife. Yuccas are hardy plants and survive drought, fire and livestock grazing. Seasonal development of established yucca begins in May with flowering. The fruit that yucca forms ripen in July and seed disperses in September. New plants are established by seed or ramets.
Grain marketing workshops to be held in Nebraska
Grain marketing workshops will be offered at several sites across Nebraska starting in November to assist grain producers minimize losses during this time of low prices. Nebraska Extension Educators will present location and commodity specific marketing information. Topics include developing a written marketing plan, and understanding basis and carrying charges. The workshops feature the Marketing in a New Era simulator and the Grain Marketing Plan smartphone application.
Leaves are falling, but trees still need care - North Platte Nebraska's Newspaper: Life
Most healthy trees are able to withstand one to two seasons of environmental stress. However, repeated years of stress can increase a tree’s susceptibility to other issues, such as attack by borers. While nothing can be done about the weather, avoid other stresses such as over- or underwatering, overfertilizing with nitrogen, hitting trees with lawn mowers, and not mulching or piling too much mulch over the roots and against the tree trunk. Fall is a good time to plant trees.
With fall on its way, it’s not too late to use your green thumb - North Platte Nebraska's Newspaper: Life
» Continue to mow at the same height used during spring and summer. A height of 2.5 to 3.5 inches is best for cool season turfgrass. Return grass clippings to the turf. Mow often enough so as not to remove more than one-third of the total canopy height at one time. Mowing at the shorter end of the recommended range will require more frequent mowing than at the higher end of the range.
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