Crop Conditions
About 45% of U.S. corn production acres and 36% of the soybean ground are dry. The western Corn Belt needs moisture, in particular. A big, wet snowstorm could help, says Eric Snodgrass.
At the height of the recent cold wave in January, subzero temperatures were noted across the Great Plains and as far south as the northern Panhandle of Texas. According to USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey, temperatures dipped to -20°F and below across the Northern Plains.
A new map from the SCN Coalition can give you an idea of whether the pest is in your county. Soil testing this spring will confirm whether the pest is in your fields, dinging yields and dollars.
Ken Ferrie advises farmers to plant no more than a third of their acres to a new corn product, if they don’t have significant experience with it. He says to bank on proven winners in the field for next season.
Our brief video takes you through evaluating stand losses from pest pressure, disease issues and dry conditions in a central Illinois cornfield. These insights can help you plan for next season’s bumper yields.
Severely bruised corn stalks can limit the plants’ ability to translocate water and nutrients and even cause the growing point region to die.
As the 2024 growing season starts to wind down in the Midwest, the weather to this point has been “uneventful,” describes Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist.
Corn yield estimates in South Dakota are less than 1 bu. per acre lower than 2023 tour estimates while soybean pod counts are up. Ohio’s corn yield estimates are slightly lower than last year and soybean pod counts came in 1.84% lower.
With eyes on the forecast for July, one ag meteorologist says it looks fairly favorable for much of the Midwest, but there are a few wild cards.
There’s a big crop in the field for many Midwest growers, and it requires fuel. N supplies ears with the energy they need to add kernels all the way to their tips and to pack on weight.
On the heels of Crop Tour, Pro Farmer projects corn production below and soybean production above USDA estimates. Here’s the yield breakdown for seven Midwest states.
The fourth and final day of the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour wrapped up on Thursday, Aug. 22, with numbers from Minnesota and eastern Iowa samples combined for full Iowa results.
The Illinois corn crop didn’t quite meet USDA’s expectations of 225 bu./acre, but it hit 204.14 bu. At the same time, Iowa’s soybean crop is putting out big numbers.
The corn yield estimate in Indiana is nearly 7 bu. per acre above the 2023 tour estimate; the soybean estimate is up 7.56%. Nebraska’s corn yield estimate is just over 6 bu. per acre higher than last year, and the soybean estimate is up 1.07%.
Is there anything farmers can do to agronomically plan for the unpredictable? Two agronomists weigh in with strategies to decrease risk.
The latest WASDE report from the USDA forecasts record-breaking yields in five of the states Pro Farmer Crop Tour will tour —Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Illinois could see an amazing average corn yield of 225 bu. per acre.
Crop Tour is a fact-finding mission with a goal of getting a strong, objective view of corn yield potential from one big field across seven states.
A new Kansas City Fed report shows farm incomes continued to weaken, particularly in crop-heavy states like Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, while cattle prices provided some support.
Yield losses of 10 bu. to 35 bu. per acre are common in affected cornfields, especially where farmers have a later-planted crop and in those fields with L2 hybrids.
With extreme heat predicted for much of the U.S., USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says growing conditions the Midwest should be favorable.
Hot, dry weather is forecasted for Russia and Ukraine while flooding in the U.S. Midwest shuts down rail lines and submerges fields and towns. China’s corn and soybean crops are getting some relief after a heatwave.
Crop conditions continue to fall as extreme weather plagues this year’s growing season.
Block out time for crop scouting so you don’t neglect it. Any management and time you lavish on your corn crop as it goes through the pollination period is time well spent, says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.
USDA’s corn and soybean ratings are down again this week amidst extreme weather events across the country.
According to USDA, the amount of corn and wheat in good condition has declined while the plants in fair to poor condition has increased.
There have been 469 tornadoes, 3,475 severe wind events and 1,640 severe hail events reported in the U.S. during the month of May. Meterologists say to expect more as the country transitions to a La Niña.
Row crop planting has picked up considerable steam over the last week with corn acres now at 80% complete and soybeans at 68%. Both crops are ahead of the five-year average.
The wrath of wildfires is something Canada knows all too well. 2023 was an historic season, and 2024 is off to an active start with some fire forecasters saying 2024’s wildfire threat could rival 2023.
This week’s USDA Crop Progress report shows corn planting five percentage points (49% planted) behind average, while soybean planting has slowed to just a single percentage point ahead (35%).
Farmers are moving fast and furious in fields this week, trying to get crops in the ground. But Mother Nature is playing havoc with their best efforts. Ken Ferrie addresses six concerns to help farmers make progress.