We'd Like To Mention

Ringing in 2024 brings a promise of new opportunities and opens the door for change. It's no different here at DTN/Progressive Farmer. With this issue, we say a fond farewell to a valued editor and welcome a new one.

Readers of this magazine and https://DTNPF.com/… are well familiar with the byline of Victoria G. Myers. She has championed our cattle and land coverage for the past 14 years, overseeing the Cattlelink section in Progressive Farmer and the online e-newsletter. What you may not know is she was originally hired in 1989 as Cotton Editor.

Under the tutelage of MidSouth Regional Editor Earl Manning and Executive Editor Del Deterling, Vicki thrived covering the cotton industry, interviewing its leaders, agribusinesses and, of course, countless cotton farmers, sharing their stories with the readers of Progressive Farmer to help them improve their own operations. Vicki lived and breathed cotton.

Years later, her role changed. Former PF Editor Jack Odle saw a need to increase livestock coverage and asked Vicki to leave the world of cotton to report on cattle, a topic she knew little about at the time. She learned quickly thanks to her work ethic and journalistic talents.

As we say goodbye, Vicki is transitioning again from award-winning editor to lawyer. While working full-time here, she was taking night classes to earn her law degree. She recently started a civil and probate law practice aimed at helping families with inheritance and succession planning, and is also an advocate for the elderly who need trusted advice on a host of issues. We wish Vicki well and are eternally grateful for her many contributions to DTN and Progressive Farmer.

With Vicki's departure, we welcome Jennifer Carrico, who will lead our cattle coverage as Senior Livestock Editor. Previously, Jennifer was editor of Wallaces Farmer, covering agriculture across the state of Iowa. She has also written for Iowa Farmer Today and High Plains Journal.

Jennifer has deep roots reporting on the cattle industry and brings a boots-on-the-ground approach to her stories running her own beef cattle operation on her family's Heritage Farm, near Redfield, Iowa. Her two children are the sixth generation to grow up on the farm, and both have had great success showing cattle across the country.

Jennifer is always interested in hearing from other cattle producers. Send an email to jennifer.carrico@dtn.com to reach her.

DON'T OVERLOOK THIS EXPENSE

While reviewing 2024 crop budgets, University of Illinois Extension specialist Bradley Zwilling reminds us not to ignore family living costs.

Looking at numbers from 1,329 farm families enrolled in the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association, total noncapital living expenses in 2022 averaged $7,600 a month. That was about 6% higher than the previous year. Figures for 2023 weren't available, but stubborn inflation likely resulted in higher expenses.

Here's another way to look at these costs: Zwilling studied total family living expenses (expendables plus capital) and divided them by tillable operator acres for 2013-2022.

In 2013, all of the family living costs averaged about $121 per acre. Costs steadily declined through 2019 until rising to $118 per acre in 2022. The 10-year average of total family living expense was $108.

When compared to the 10-year average of net farm income per acre of $174 for the group, 62% of the net farm income is family living expense, he explains. So, a $118-per-acre family living expense is equal to a 54-cent-per-bushel price change on 220-bushel corn. When you take total family living expenses minus net nonfarm income, this equals $56 per acre in 2022 and was $47 per acre for the five-year average. This would be the part of family living that is covered by farm income.

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-- Write Gregg Hillyer, 2204 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 415, Birmingham, AL 35209, email gregg.hillyer@dtn.com, or follow Gregg on X (formerly Twitter) @GreggHillyer

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