Farm revenues fall as war and market concerns rise.jpeg

Grain farmer Jeff Thompson on March 20, on the farm he and his wife run near Lyons, S.D. Photo by Bart Pfankuch, South Dakota News Watch

LYONS — Farmer Jeff Thompson had waited months for soybean prices to rebound, and he was getting a little antsy.

Like many of the roughly 18,000 other crop farmers in South Dakota, Thompson is storing corn and soybeans in giant grain bins on his farm because he can’t sell at a profitable price due to a variety of unfavorable market conditions.

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Farm revenues fall as war and market concerns rise 2.jpeg

This Central Farmer’s Co-op grain elevator near Colton, S.D., is shown on March 20, with a large pile of corn that awaits possible shipment for export. Photo by Bart Pfankuch, South Dakota News Watch

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