The Profitability of Irrigating Corn in Tennessee: Implications of Field Size and Energy Costs

Irrigation is expensive in Tennessee because of small, irregular fields. We calculated the breakeven corn prices for irrigated corn in Tennessee. Breakeven prices were $4.02-$7.94/bu depending on field size, energy source, and energy price. At current prices, irrigated corn is profitable, but prices are much higher than the historic average.