South Dakota

Soybean Gall Midge Emerges As Top-Tier Threat

Mon, 11 May 2026 20:19:27 GMT

Soybean gall midge is no longer just a curiosity or annoyance for many Midwest farmers. The pest is chewing into yield and profitability for soybean growers across parts of at least seven states – Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Iowa State University Entomologist Erin Hodgson reports the pest’s footprint is significant, present in at least 42% of the 45.4 million acres of soybeans farmers harvested across the seven states in 2025.

“At least 19 million soybean acres are potentially impacted by this pest,” Hodgson says, noting that the pest continues to spread. Eight new counties were confirmed in 2025, with five of those being in Iowa .

According to a recent farmer survey led by University of Nebraska Entomologist Doug Golick, the pest has become a major threat in parts of Nebraska. “In the last year or two, soybean gall midge is approaching as near high of concern as herbicide-resistant weeds for survey respondents,” Golick says.

Since 2018, the soybean gall midge has spread to 185 total counties in seven states, including five new counties in Iowa this past year, according to Erin Hodgson, Iowa State University Extension entomologist and professor.

(Erin Hodgson)

Look For Small Orange Or White Larvae

Damage from the insect starts at the base of the soybean plants, largely out of sight. Adult midges emerge from the ground in May and June, then seek out tiny fissures in young soybean plants near the soil line to lay eggs, according to Thales Rodrigues da Silva, a master’s student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The larvae cause severe, localized yield losses from 20% to 100% loss along field edges and 17% to 50% reductions in entire fields average under heavy infestation, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension. The larvae – small, orange worm-like pests – feed inside the base of the stem, causing plants to wither, die, and lodge (break), with damages sometimes extending 100+ feet into fields. Scouting for the pest should occur after the second trifoliate (V2) growth stage, according to the Crop Protection Network.

This damage in a soybean plant at the soil level shows the result of soybean gall midge larvae feeding.

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)

Because the pest often feeds along field edges, the damage in affected plants is often mistaken for issues caused by compaction or herbicide injury, according to Stine Seed Company .

To confirm the pest’s presence, Stine agronomists recommend digging up compromised soybean plants and splitting open the stem. If white or orange larvae are found feeding within the inner layers, growers should check the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network tracking system to determine whether the pest has been reported in their area. Next, they should contact their local Extension specialist to help confirm the diagnosis and report the finding if their county is not yet documented in their area.

Cultural Practices Show Promise

Unfortunately, there are few strategies to manage and control soybean gall midge, according to Tony Lenz, Stine technical agronomist.
With no labeled, consistently effective in-season insecticide program and no established treatment threshold, researchers are testing cultural and mechanical tactics that might give farmers at least partial relief.

Tillage ahead of planting — a tough sell in no-till systems — shows some promise in reducing early infestations in current-year soybean fields.

“Turns out that disking alone, at least in (our) study… did reduce infestation,” says Justin McMechan an entomologist and associate professor at UNL.

“There’s a significant reduction as we move from no-till to that… where it’s just disked and planted into, and then disking and hilling (a practice used in growing potatoes), which really is effective, because you’re covering up the infestation site,” McMechan adds.

He notes that even subtle changes in seedbed shape may help by covering fissures or altering microclimates at the stem base.

On planters running row cleaners, McMechan says adjustments at field edges might be one of the more accessible tools.

“There are not huge differences, but they are statistically significant,” he adds.

Field edge management has been another area of experimentation, including mowing or managing dense vegetation next to infested fields. Results are mixed, but McMechan says there are situations where mowing modestly cuts pressure.

“Nebraska saw on occasion where mowing would reduce infestation and lead to marginal yield benefit… we’re talking like 6-bushel differences,” he says, adding that weather and nearby corn canopy can override those gains.

There are no insecticides currently available to control soybean gall midge. A combination of cultural practices and mechanical efforts is likely the best option, for now, to stop or slow the pest.

(Justin McMechan)

Scientists Evaluate ‘Out-Of-The-Box’ Practices

Other work by researchers is pushing even further outside the box to find control measures. At UNL, graduate research assistant Kristin Heinrichs Stark is testing whether a biodegradable surface barrier called BioWrap can physically trap larvae in the soil and prevent emergence.

The work is early-stage and raises reasonable questions about cost and field-scale application rates, but it points to the kind of layered, non-chemical tactics Extension researchers say will likely be needed to address the pest.

Even as these cultural and physical strategies are developed, Hodgson reminds farmers that the ag industry still lacks any clear control option once larvae are inside the soybean stem.

“We really don’t have a treatment threshold, or a rescue treatment option at this time,” she says. “We know that the soybean gall midge certainly can cause yield losses, plant death, and that directly relates to yield. But we don’t really have great answers on like, how many plants does it take? How many larvae per plant (causes yield loss)?”

For now, farmers dealing with soybean gall midge are being asked to combine careful field scouting, crop rotation, and targeted cultural tactics to address the pest as the research community races to find answers and close those gaps.

Specialists from three Midwest universities provided the latest updates on soybean gall midge (SGM) this spring in a webinar, available at the link below:

New High-Yield, High-Protein Winter Wheat Variety Set for Farms in the Northern Plains

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:55:00 GMT

Winter wheat harvest — with its amber waves and sun-bleached grains — is a fixture in the Plains states of America. That iconic activity may peak as the combines pass each summer, but the work for big yields began a decade ago.

“Every variety that is made, this is the place where it starts from,” explains Sunish Sehgal , a professor and winter wheat breeder at South Dakota State University, as he points to parent wheat plants growing in a campus greenhouse. “To develop a new variety, we start by crossing two parents.”

Winter Wheat breeder Sunish Seghal checks a field of SD Vivian.

(Clinton Griffiths)

For the last decade, Sehgal has been working to launch next-generation winter wheat varieties for South Dakota farmers. Whether in the greenhouse or in the field, he makes 800 of these genetic crosses every year — hoping to make elite varieties even better.

“We have to continuously make new varieties in order to increase the profitability of our farmers and also to meet the challenges the farmer faces in today’s environment,” Sehgal says.

A Challenging Environment

In South Dakota’s temperamental weather, those challenges are seemingly endless. Sehgal points to new races of stripe rust constantly emerging, issues with head blight, tan spot and insect pressure like hessian fly — just to name a few. Add a variable climate on top, and it makes for a difficult puzzle to solve.

“We face drought every four out of five years,” Sehgal adds. “I need to look at all of these aspects to identify an individual [variety] which will actually survive in this environment, and thrive in this environment, while being profitable for the producers.”

After testing thousands of varieties and a decade of trials, a new variety is on its way. Next season, in 2026, South Dakota producers will be able to plant SD Vivan – a high-yielding, high-protein winter wheat with strong resistance to the state’s agronomic challenges.

“Usually, when the varieties are high-yielding, they tend to have lower protein,” Sehgal explains. “The unique thing about SD Vivian is that it is able to maintain its protein content, even at a higher yield.”

Growing the Future

He made his first crosses for this variety back in the greenhouse in 2015. Today, he’s investigating how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning might speed up his variety selection process. Until then, it’s a labor of love and determination to make a difference for farmers.

Sehgal makes 800 crosses a year in this greenhouse on SDSU campus.

(Clinton Griffiths)

“I’m honored to be able to be the part of the story where farmers, through their checkoff, fund the wheat breeding program,” Sehgal explains. “I am able to contribute and return them something back in the form of advanced genetics, which will make their farm more profitable and more sustainable.”

Be Prepared: Intense Storm Cluster With 75+ MPH Winds Working Through Upper Midwest Monday Evening

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:57:58 GMT

A powerful cluster of storms is forming in the Upper Midwest with a chance for crop-damaging winds and potential tornados in central South and North Dakota as well as southwestern Minnesota, warns The National Weather Service and meteorologist Bret Walts with BAMWX.com.

Walts expects the cluster will release a lot of wind energy this afternoon and this evening as it gathers steam moving east through the upper Great Plains. It could even intensify into a rare derecho storm with hurricane force winds.

UPDATE: The Weather Channel is now reporting a “derecho is likely to strike the Northern Plains.”

“We’ve got a stronger (atmospheric) jet stream moving in with a lot of instability in place still with the heat and humidity across parts of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota,” he says.

Walts is paying close attention to how quickly the individual storm cells merge together. He says the faster that formation occurs the more intense the storm has the potential to become.

7/28/25: Intense severe storms are expected to form this afternoon in SD and spread southeastward into MN and IA through tonight. Swaths of damaging winds, potentially 75-90 mph, are the main concern. Be prepared to take action if watches and warnings are issued for your area. pic.twitter.com/wf2rH7eUdD
— NWS Storm Prediction Center (@NWSSPC) July 28, 2025

Walts forecasts the timing as 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT for parts of South and North Dakota, while 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. would be the time frame for the most intense winds in northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota.

“If that initial cell to the north shoots out of a lot of boundaries it could lead to the setup becoming a little bit messier,” Walts says. “We’ll know by five or six o’clock that if this thing is not getting organized, then we have an idea it is not going to be that intense. But I don’t anticipate that happening because the environment is very, very unstable and there’s a lot of wind energy. That combination this time of the year normally is not a good thing.”

NOAA says it expects these storms will move very quickly, and it is important to take action when warnings are issued locally. Do not wait until you see or hear signs of a strong storm because by that time it might be too late.

Your Next Read: Insights From Seed Companies on Tackling Tassel Wrap Challenges

Why John Thune's Election as Senate Majority Leader is Considered Beneficial for U.S. Agriculture

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 20:58:53 GMT

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) wins Majority Leader race. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was eliminated on the first ballot. And Thune beat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) 29-24 on the second ballot.

The Thune selection is good for the U.S. ag sector. He has one of the best staff in Congress.

The leadership race unfolded in two rounds of voting: 

In the first ballot, Scott was eliminated. 
In the second and final ballot, Thune secured 29 votes, defeating Cornyn, who received 24 votes.

Donald Trump stayed out of the contest but did make public demands that the incoming majority leader allow him to make recess appointments to his Cabinet. All three men quickly agreed.

Thune’s election as Majority Leader is considered beneficial for the U.S. ag sector for several reasons: 

Agricultural background: Thune has a deep background in ag policy and is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. 
Farm bill experience: He has been involved in writing several farm bills, demonstrating his expertise in agricultural legislation. 
Conservation programs: Thune is an avid supporter of conservation title programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program and Conservation Reserve Program.
Bipartisan approach: He is a skilled negotiator, working for the benefit of all.
Constituency focus: Coming from South Dakota, an agriculture-based state, Thune is likely to keep agricultural interests at the forefront of his agenda.  • Experienced staff: Thune has one of the best staffs in Congress, which can be crucial for effective policymaking and implementation.

Of note: This leadership change marks the end of Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) 18-year tenure as the Senate’s Republican leader. Thune will assume the role of Majority Leader for the next two years, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. While Thune has had differences with Trump in the past, he has recently worked to improve their relationship and has pledged to advance Trump’s legislative agenda.

PF Crop Tour Day 1: Scouts Find Higher Pod Counts in South Dakota, Lower Corn and Soybean Estimates in Ohio

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:29:52 GMT

The 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour kicked off on Monday with nearly 100 scouts in South Dakota and Ohio. The results from day 1 were released Monday night , with South Dakota and Ohio’s corn yield estimate coming in lower than what scouts found last year. Ohio’s soybean pod counts were also off from last year’s record, but scouts found higher soybean pod counts in South Dakota versus 2023.

South Dakota’s Results

South Dakota’s corn data from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour 2024

(Lori Hayes )

In South Dakota, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts found fields with fewer ears, but grain length was up compared with 2023.

South Dakota corn yield estimate: 156.51 bu. per acre, down 0.58% from 2023
Ear count: 84.42, down 5.11% from last year
Grain length: Up 6.44% from 2023

South Dakota’s soybean data from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour 2024

(Lori Hayes)

South Dakota’s pod counts were 1,025.89 in a 3’x3' square, which is up 1.27% from 2023.

Ohio’s Results

Ohio corn data from day 1 of Pro Farmer Crop Tour

(Lori Hayes)

Ohio’s corn yield estimate from the 2024 tour came in slightly lower than last year’s record.

Ohio corn yield estimate: 183.29 bu. per acre, down 0.35% from 2023
Ear count: 100.37, up .66% compared with last year
Grain length: Down 2.17% from last year

Ohio’s soybean data from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour 2024

(Lori Hayes)

Ohio’s soybean pod counts were down 1.84% from 2023 at 1,229.93 pods in a 3’x3' square.

Chip Flory and Brian Grete React to Day 1 of the Tour

Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk, leads the western leg of Pro Farmer Crop Tour each year. He says it was another interesting year for scouting South Dakota’s crops.

“The holes in the field, the drowned out spots, the ponded out areas, that’s putting a big question in my mind about the impact on the South Dakota corn and soybean crops,” Flory says. “We saw that in a lot of places. We saw a corn crop that had two very different planting dates. So we’ve got two very different corn crops growing in South Dakota. In terms of the beans, when you look at last year, it was dry. The beans, though, were still filling out. They had done a lot of the work that they needed to do a year ago. However, this year, that bean crop has got a ton of work to do to realize its potential.”

Flory says ear counts might have been down in South Dakota this year, but the crop made up for it in grain length.

“We had longer ears, longer grain length on this year’s crop, and that’s where we made it up,” Flory says. “We’re looking at a corn crop that’s basically the same as it was a year ago. Soybeans were up only 1.27% on the pods in a 3’x3' square, but I think we’re looking at a really different bean crop this year. Last year, it was what it was and wasn’t going to get any bigger. The bean crop in South Dakota could go either way this year. It’s got a lot of work to do, and if it doesn’t get it done, then it’s probably not going to be last year’s bean crop.”

Editor of Pro Farmer Brian Grete leads the eastern leg of the tour. He says he didn’t see the same consistency across Ohio that scouts found last year.

“I don’t think this year’s Ohio crop is what it was last year, to be honest with you,” Grete says. “Chip talked about the difference in ear counts out there. We actually had higher ear counts, so there’s more ears out there, but the grain length is less, which offsets each other and you end up down four-tenths of a percent from what we found on Crop Tour last year.”

Grete points out scouts did find some disease in the Ohio crop this year.

“We’ll see how much of the yield potential we measured actually gets into the bin,” Grete says.

An In-Depth Look At What Scouts Found In Ohio

As Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts set out on day 1 on the eastern leg, they saw impressive corn and soybean crops in Ohio, despite the area seeing drought this year. With rains over the weekend, the soybean yields have the potential to be strong.

“We started planting our beans on April 16 and finished on the 25th,” says Michael Vallery who farms in south-central Ohio. “We started planting corn on April 26 and finished on the 30th. We’d never been done planting that early before.”

Vallery says the early start was promising, and he hopes it helps push his soybean yields higher. But the biggest concern for Ohio farmers this year has been drought.

“Our yields this year are going to be less than last year. We’ve basically had the top cut off of our crop by the fact that we’ve received about 5" less moisture than normal,” Vallery says.

According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 59% of Ohio is currently seeing some level of dryness. One year ago, that number was only 11%.

“So far, the drought has affected corn more than our soybeans,” he says. “We can still benefit from a late-season rain on some of the later-planted beans.”

Crawford county Ohio #pftour24 pic.twitter.com/Md6ylfJsYi
— Mike (@BerdoMike) August 19, 2024

Vallery says Ohio farmers know they’re probably not going to see the record yields they harvested last year. Still, as Grete got into corn fields on Monday and started peeling back the ears, he uncovered an extremely resilient crop.

“In terms of what’s normal out here in Ohio over the years and what we’ve seen on crop tours in the past, this is an above-average year,” Grete says.

Early updates from the West and East legs of The @profarmer Crop Tour! Stay tuned for more crop insights throughout the week! Follow along with #pftour24 pic.twitter.com/uXfPBsDYWl
— Farm Journal (@FarmJournal) August 19, 2024

Grete has led the eastern leg of the tour for nearly 20 years. He knew after last year’s phenomenal crop in Ohio, it would be hard to beat this season. Yet, even with drought, he thinks this year’s corn yields could be in the top three for the state.

“When comparing it to last year that was the record yield in the state and the gold standard. It was just a phenomenal corn crop last year in Ohio. It’s probably not going to quite live up to those standards this year, but it’s a very good corn crop based on what we’ve seen so far,” Grete explains.

When it comes to Ohio’s soybean crop, Grete was even more impressed.

“The soybeans have been pretty consistent and, actually, they’ve been probably more consistent than corn,” he says. “The fields we stopped in are highly podded. They have soil moisture since they got rain in some of these fields overnight and yesterday. Plenty of topsoil moisture is present, so they should have the ability to finish strong.”

A heavily podded soybean crop with recent rains to help pump moisture into the pods means the pod factory is still working. That could produce some bountiful soybean yields in Ohio this year.

“A heavily podded crop that has moisture in the third week of August is probably going to yield pretty well. I think that’s what we’re looking at so far on our route,” Grete says.

Scouts Found a Consistent Corn Crop in South Dakota

Despite heavy rains and flooding early in the season in southeast South Dakota, crop scouts are finding consistent corn yields, making USDA record yield projections achievable. But soybeans might fall short of the mark, due to the high variability of pod counts.

The historic flooding that occurred right after Father’s Day in the southeast part of the state definitely left its mark.

“You can see the washed-out areas, flooded-out areas, and it seems like every field has a problem of some sort,” says Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk and western leg tour leader.

Centerville, S.D., farmer Craig Andersen received 18" of rain in 48 hours, destroying many of his fields. He wasn’t alone with that experience.

“Using the satellite information, we figured it was over 40,000 acres in this area, right alongside the Vermillion River,” he says.

Acres that weren’t zeroed out will likely see lower yields from increased weed pressure, variable maturity and reduced pod counts.

“A year ago, our pod counts in South Dakota were 1,013,” Flory says. “We started off in the 1,300 range but we’ve also been as low as 400.”

Considering he’s finding such an inconsistent soybean crop, Flory says it might be a stretch for the state to reach USDA’s 47 bu. per acre yield estimate.

“I’m not seeing anything that makes me think it’s a 47-bu. bean crop in South Dakota,” he says.

🌽Four stops in northeast Nebraska on #pftour24 (Knox, Cedar, Pierce Counties). Here's how the #corn yield has averaged (in bu/acre) on this exact route through four stops in the last four years:
2024: 161.6
2023: 158.3 (1 irrigated)
2022: 133.5 (1 irrigated)
2021: 178 pic.twitter.com/w3BcK2PyA8
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) August 19, 2024

Western leg scout Tim Gregerson found more uniformity in the corn despite a sample that just pollinated last week.

“I’'ve seen a lot of consistent corn,” he says.

He encountered a few surprises with Southern rust and no signs of nitrogen loss from heavy rains that fell early in the season.

“So far the color of the corn is pretty good, though the holes are evident. They’re a little bit bigger than normal in this area of South Dakota than in a normal year, the drowned-out spots. But it’s amazing how tight we’ve seen the yields range, between 170 and 174 bu.,” Gregerson says.

But is it the record 162 bu. per acre yield USDA predicted for the state? That’s yet to be seen.

“The ear count has been consistent enough that it’s definitely possible,” Gregerson says.

Plus, he says the northern half of South Dakota might make up for the deficits in the southeast region.

For more than 30 years, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts have been providing the agriculture industry with insights into potential corn and soybean production, gathering scout reports from 2,000-plus fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.

This year’s event takes place August 19-22. Register now to attend in-person or watch results live each night at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time.

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For exclusive access to professional grade news, analysis and advice, subscribe to Pro Farmer here .

How Pro Farmer's 2024 Yield Estimates Compare to USDA Expectations

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 19:41:02 GMT

For four days this past week, more than 100 crop scouts sampled 2,000 to 3,000 fields in seven Midwest states as part of the one-of-a-kind Pro Farmer Crop Tour . Building on the boots-on-the-ground data and observations, Pro Farmer considers crop maturity and historical differences in Crop Tour data versus USDA’s final yields to release its national production estimates.

“One of the major questions heading into Crop Tour was whether the corn and soybean crops could live up to the lofty expectations,” says Brian Grete, editor for Pro Farmer. “Of the two crops, I was more impressed with soybeans than corn, and the corn crop is stellar.”

Here are the 2024 Pro Farmer National Production Estimates.

Corn Yield Estimates

“The first two days of the tour all we did was move bushels from South Dakota and Nebraska to Ohio and Indiana compared with USDA estimates,” says Chip Flory, host of “AgriTalk.” “We had laid the groundwork for a really good crop in Iowa, but in northwest Iowa, we ran into problems, which we anticipated after too much rain during the planting season. In our final day running the routes, we’ve got a nice crop in Iowa, but Minnesota is another story.”

On the eastern side of the Corn Belt, Grete and fellow scouts found a strong corn crop.

“USDA put a record yield on corn for five of the seven states,” he says. “Ohio isn’t one of those — but if we weren’t talking about last year’s record crop in Ohio, this year would be up there. This year is comparing to last year’s gold standard.”

Indiana: Trouble spots are few and far between. The corn crop posted higher numbers across the board for ear count, grain length and the number of kernels around the cob compared to the 2023 crop.

Illinois: While scouts saw variability in Illinois, the high-yielding fields far exceeded those that fell short, and the state is holding a big crop . Plant health looks good, and even the lower leaves are still green.

Iowa: Yield potential looks promising , especially in the southeast corner, the garden spot, of the state. The corn in east-central Iowa looks good, but the variability is more noticeable in the northeast.

Minnesota: The corn crop in Minnesota doesn’t look too good from the road, and it seems to have ran out of gas . Record rainfall during planting hurt the crop out of the gate, causing drowned out spots and yellow corn, followed by a dry summer.

Nebraska: Despite hail damage and fewer ears, the Nebraska corn crop looks promising with better numbers for grain length and kernels around the cob compared with 2023. Some dryland corn looks as good as irrigated acres thanks to cooperative weather.

Ohio: Despite drought conditions this year (59% of Ohio is currently seeing some level of dryness), the corn crop is proving to be resilient .

South Dakota: Historic flooding that occurred right after Father’s Day in the southeast part of the state left its mark. Scouts found fields with fewer ears , but grain length was up compared with 2023. It’s obvious the corn crop had two very different planting dates, so there’s two very different crops growing in the state.

Soybean Yield Estimates

“Soybeans could be spectacular as long as there isn’t a weather event that derails the crop ahead of harvest,” Grete says. “Typically, there’s some concern with either the corn crop, soybean crop or both coming out of Crop Tour. There aren’t concerns this year.”

Indiana: If soybeans can get a rain or two, yields should finish strong .

Illinois: Uniformity, heavily podded plants and good soil moisture — Illinois has all the ingredients for a big yield , which is a pleasant surprise. “For beans that don’t look that impressive, they certainly have a lot of pods on them,” says crop scout Mark Bernard.

Iowa: Soybean fields are consisten t and show minimal pest and weed pressure across the state, boasting big pod increases versus last year.

Minnesota: Soybeans seem to have handled the excess water better than the corn crop, but yield will be lucky to top 50 bu. per acre .

Nebraska: More pods and pods with three and four beans are good signs.

Ohio: The pod factory is still working. Plants are heavily podded and recent rains pumped moisture into the pods. The drought seems to have had little impact on yield potential.

South Dakota: Soybeans are inconsistent and could go either way this year. The crop is still filling out and has a ton of work to do to realize its potential, Flory says. If it doesn’t get it done, then it’s probably not going to be last year’s bean crop.

Tyne Morgan, host of “ U.S. Farm Report ,” sits down with Chip Flory and Brian Grete to recap the highlights and lowlights from the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour.

Your Next Read — Take Our Poll: How Are Your Yields Shaping Up This Year?

The Scoop Podcast: Corral The Controllables In Agronomy

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:00:00 GMT

As an agronomist and crop consultant with Nutrien Ag Solutions, Jeff Kloucek says working out in the field is where he enjoys his job the most. While the weather was the biggest challenge last year, Kloucek doesn’t expect too much of a reprieve from that unknown this year.

However, he and the team in Nebraska and South Dakota are focusing on what they can control. And shares more in The Scoop Podcast:

“When we can figure something out, come up with a solution, and then see it works with real yield data to show our decision made us money and we fixed an issue—that’s when it’s fun,” he says.

In soil fertility, they are taking a new look at the whole system and how nutrients interact with each other.

“With some of our theories on fertility we’re really switching gears and going a different direction,” he says. “And we’re looking the whole balance of the soil and how different nutrients work together or work against each other.”

And for weed control, Kloucek has two pieces of advice: “Don’t cut the rates. And adjuvants are just as important as the herbicides you put in the tank.”
Even though they can’t control the weather, Kloucek and his team tested a new irrigation sensor last year to refine their water management, and they are fully deploying those this year.

As an agronomy leader eager to try new things and improve each year, Kloucek encourages others in the industry to develop in their careers.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and find a good mentor,” he says. “One of the greatest mentors I had was another applicator when I first started. He took me under his wing, and I learned a lot from him. He told me what I needed to know and where I should go look to learn more and was very instrumental in my career.”

Hear more from Kloucek in The Scoop Podcast.

Senate Ag Committee and South Dakota Producers Want "More Farm in the Farm Bill"

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:02:16 GMT

At farm bill listening session in South Dakota members of the Senate Ag Committee expressed optimism about getting a farm bill done yet in 2024 and putting more farm in the farm bill.

Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) told attendees House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson will release the chairman’s mark in early May and has resolved the controversial SNAP changes.

“What we’d like him to do is go ahead and go first and then the minority side on the Senate is we will come through with a framework shortly after that, we’ve pretty much got that done. The idea is just to get a farm bill done this year.”

Boozman says farm bill updates are needed to reflect today’s market environment and tighter margins.

“We need a major restructuring now because of inflation, because of the fact that the last two years we’ve had the greatest drop in farm income in the last 100 years.”

That’s why he and North Dakota Senator John Hoeven introduced the FARMER Act to make crop insurance more affordable.

Boozman says, “And what we want to do is change crop insurance a little bit where it helps everyone more but also so that its more accessible to other regions of the country where they’re not able to use it successfully.”

This is something the crop insurance industry says they support because it will replace ad hoc disaster assistance.

Glenda Blindert owns Blindert Insurance Agency in Salem, South Dakota and is also a member of the National Crop Insurance Professional Agents. She says they want to get rid of ad hoc disaster assistance. “There’s been about $65 billion that’s gone out for ad hoc disaster that really didn’t help a lot of our producers. It should have. :46 What we want to see is Senator Boozman and Senator Hoeven have released legislation to potentially raise crop insurance subsidies at those higher levels.”

Senate Ag Committee member John Thune says they also need to put more farm back in the farm bill.

“The nutrition title for example, the climate issues that’s become a big priority for a lot of particularly on the Ag Committee and especially in the Senate. So, when we say that what we’re saying is those parts of the farm bill that focus on production agriculture.”

The reference price increase is something the soybean association is pushing for as the current level is only $8.40 says Kevin Deinert, president of the South Dakota Soybean Association:

“Yeah, reference prices are just well below what they should be. As we’ve seen back when we’ve had trade wars or what not we’ve seen a significant decrease in the price of soybeans, we never triggered a loss in terms of those reference prices.”

Meanwhile, South Dakota Corn Growers Association President Dave Ellens told the Senators they also want crop insurance preserved, higher reference prices and updated base acres.

“Those base acres are based on data from what our grandpas used to plant and now that the corn belt has moved west and north, we need those to be reflective of what’s actually being planted out there.”

While this will cost more money the Senators are pushing for updates on reference prices and base acres.

Thune adds, “I think it’s more likely we’ll get something done on reference prices you know that’s expensive too. If we went to mandatory update base acres, I think you would get actually savings that you could apply but it’s also incredibly controversial.”

And Boozman thinks they can find the money in the CCC. “I think that’s a viable option. As there’s a lot of money being spent in the CC and a lot of money left over.”

Scott VanderWal, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, agree economic changes dictate a new bill and timing is critical before it gets caught up in politics.

“We need to get it done now because there’s so many other things coming along the tax cuts and JOBS Act expiration that’s going to happen in 2025 that’s going to be a big issue politically and we don’t want to have so many big things going on at one time.”

But with the farm bill cost estimated at $1.5 trillion over 5 years, the changes are a small cost compared to 80-percenf for nutrition programs and food security is national security.

Concept AgriTek Expands with New District Sales Manager

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:28:10 GMT

Concept AgriTek is expanding their sales team with Ethan Jones, who will serve as district sales manager for customers and dealers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and the northwest corner of Iowa.

Jones has a degree in precision technology from Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, S.D., and has served in sales and agronomy roles for agriculture and seed companies throughout the region.

“I’m working to learn Concept AgriTek’s extensive product portfolio and be able to apply the Concept AgriTek “A,B,C’s,” Jones says. “I thought that I knew agronomy, but I have realized in these past few weeks that I have a lot to learn. Concept AgriTek has opened my eyes to assessing agronomy, biology, and chemistry; how important it is to start off knowing what a plant or the soil actually needs and using all of that information to help the grower. It isn’t just selling a product.”

After nearly a decade of experience, Jones shares he is excited for the challenge ahead - as is the rest of the Concept AgriTek team.

“We’re as excited as Ethan is to have him on the team,” says Daniel Hensley, Concept AgriTek president. “We grew significantly in 2023 and we have plans to continue that growth in 2024. But we aren’t growing faster than we can manage. Qualifications add up to more than experience and background, our team is cohesive and wants to learn, that’s what it takes to serve the growers we work with. We hire people who truly want to be a part of something that’s a different approach to agronomic sales. Ethan has that drive and is already a valuable member of our team.”

New Survey Shows Labor is Serious Challenge for Ag Industry

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 18:00:19 GMT

A new survey from the Minneapolis Fed found ag bankers rank labor availability as a top concern for their farm clients.

The survey, which was conducted with ag bankers from the ninth district (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin), found the issue is viewed as a “serious challenge” for 63% of respondents and a minor challenge for the majority of the remaining 37%.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult to obtain the labor needed to operate,” a Minnesota-based banker told the Minneapolis Fed.

The availability of livestock workers was seen as more limited than crop workers and those surveyed also shared that finding long-term help is more difficult than temporary help due to the seasonal nature of the ag industry.

As far as how this compares to past conditions, 39% of respondents said labor availability has gotten “much worse” over the past five years and 44% said it’s “a little worse”.

The Minneapolis Fed attributes this challenge to the region’s low influx of migrant workers and aging workforce.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 10% of animal production employees in the area are foreign born, compared to 18% nationally. The number is even lower for crop production with just 5% of workers being foreign born, compared to 32% nationally.

The region also has some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.

At the same time, the median age of workers in the region rose from 51 to 56 in 2021. The number of workers between 45 to 54 has declined over the past decade with a small increase of those between the ages of 25 to 44 and a large increase of those over 55.

Three Midwestern Farm Credit Associations Announce Collaboration

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 15:26:50 GMT

AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Frontier Farm Credit and Farm Credit Services of America announced they have signed a collaboration contract. The three boards will share leadership, planning and technology responsibilities, while local boards, offices and programs will be retained.

“Continual improvement is vital to the long-term success of any farm or ranch,” said Shane Tiffany, chair of the Frontier Farm Credit board. “Our financial cooperatives are no different. As agriculture gets more complicated and our risks and costs as producers increase, we need to know we can count on our lender. This collaboration better positions us for the future.”

Combined, the organizations have a reach of over 85,000 producers in eight states: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

“There are many examples of successful collaborations in the Farm Credit System,” said Nick Jorgensen, chair of the FCSAmerica Board. “This one is unique in allowing each association to share functions where it makes sense, yet retain the local experience we all have come to value from our individual cooperatives and financial teams.”

At the end of 2022, AgCountry, based in Fargo, ND, had a reported loan volume of $11.6 billion. Frontier Farm Credit, based in Manhattan, Kan., had a volume of $2.6 billion and FCS America, based in Omaha, Neb., reported $38.3 billion.

“Our three boards are comprised mostly of farmers and ranchers. We were elected by our fellow member-owners to make decisions ensuring our associations fulfill their mission to current and future producers,” said Lynn Pietig, chair of AgCountry’s board of directors. “Each association enters this collaboration in a financially strong position. By working together, we can achieve benefits of scale that make us even stronger.”

The collaboration is expected to take effect no later than April 1, 2024.

Here’s How Pro Farmer's 2023 Yield Estimates Stack Up to USDA Expectations

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 22:17:31 GMT

It’s Friday in Pro Farmer Crop Tour week, which means the highly anticipated production estimates for the 2023 U.S. corn and soybean crops are now available.

These estimates are based on Crop Tour data and observations collected this past week by more than 100 crop scouts who sampled 3,000+ fields spanning Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

Corn yield estimates

“We built record corn yields ahead of these extreme heat-indexed days. That’s the key point as we looked across the Corn Belt as a whole this week—we got ahead on yield early-on in order to hit average after the losses to heat,” Brian Grete of Pro Farmer says.

Indiana: Corn plants in Indiana look good , but kernel counts around will take a bite out of yield. With incidences of tar spot popping up all over the state, the yield could quickly change. Without tar spot, Indiana could hit yield average.

Illinois: Wildfire smoke and overnight temperatures won’t stop Illinois corn from hitting average yield. Tar spot, however, could blow up in pockets in coming weeks, which would pack a punch in the kernels’ starch and test weights.

Iowa: Five days with 103° heat index equated to five weeks of stress on corn crops in Iowa. The crops clearly ran out of energy and will see a just-below-average yield.

Minnesota: Burn is eating up the state’s corn crop up to one leaf below the ear . Kernel depth will push the crop below average yields.

Nebraska: The Nebraska corn fields had plenty of ear s, but they are already hanging. Irrigated acres will hit average, but non-irrigated will take a hit.

Ohio: A surge of moisture saved the crop this week. Despite being behind on growing degree days, the crop is more consistent than 2022 and looks to yield above average.

South Dakota: Rain in many regions of South Dakota resulted in a 180° from 2022’s crop. There’s no tip back in the Southeast corn for the state, yet. Final weeks of the season could shrink grain depth, but with little effect.

Soybean yield estimates

“We saw extremely stressful conditions this week. Thanks to the management put on the crop, hybrid and varieties available, the ability of both the corn and soybean crops to build a yield in these conditions has been unbelievable,” Chip Flory, AgriTalk host says. “The question now is whether or not they can hold on to it.”

Indiana: Moisture deficiencies are playing out heavily in Indiana ’s soybeans. However, the plant is proving resilient with high pod and seed counts. The state will yield higher than last year.

Illinois: Months-long drought followed by a derecho caused whiplash in Illinois soybeans. But the storm caused more good than bad, resulting in short nodes and short beans, with high pod counts. The state will see slightly above-average harvest numbers.

Iowa: Dry conditions produced yellow-green marbled fields . Despite dry conditions, pod counts in Iowa will trump Illinois. But seed size and count will cause a yield penalty.

Minnesota: Heat stress and drought are throwing punches at soybean yield in Minnesota. The state is patchy, with two-bean pods spotted in the state’s Southwestern corridor while other areas will have an average-yielding crop.

Nebraska: The bean crop appeared to be dying out instead of drying out. With no chance of rain in the forecast, the crops won’t have a chance to fill.

Ohio: Rains this week in Ohio greened-up crops at a pivotal growth stage. The state’s soybean crop won’t be better than 2021, but it will be better than 2022.

South Dakota: Pod counts are above normal for what scouts would usually see in the state, thanks to late-season moisture. Yield will likely come out average, or slightly above.

Pro Farmer Crop Tour, Day 1: Mostly Green in Ohio and South Dakota

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:26:22 GMT

The 31st Pro Farmer Crop Tour kicked off on Monday, as nearly 100 crop scouts pointed their headlights toward Grand Island, Neb. and Indianapolis. Ind., this morning.

Here’s what scouts found on Day 1.

Western Leg: South Dakota to Nebraska

This time last year, more than 36% of South Dakota was covered in drought. This year, that number dropped to 14%, with very little of the state in the severe and extreme drought categories. The moisture changes in the West became apparent in Monday’s estimates.

Sherman Newlin, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scout, says many regions of South Dakota have seen a 180° turnaround from 2022.

“Last year, this region had very low yields because of drought. This year they’ve been catching a lot of rain,” Newlin says. “There’s no tip back here, yet. The dryness coming up could shrink the grain depth and have a small affect.”

July and August rains in South Dakota greened-up the state’s soybeans. Karen Braun, Pro Farmer Crop Scout, foresees South Dakota’s average hitting higher than USDA’s August prediction of 42 bu. per acre.

“Our pod counts are really strong and up from what we would normally see in this state,” Braun says. “If I continue to see these higher pod counts, I think we could come out with a bit higher estimate than USDA’s.”

After four stops in northeast Nebraska (Knox, Cedar County area), #soybeans are averaging 1295 per 3x3' plot versus 1200 on this exact route last year. One irrigated each year, so a very comparable view. #pftour23 pic.twitter.com/m0OUx7T4QO
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) August 21, 2023

Watch AgDay’s recap of Day 1 on the western leg:

Eastern Leg: Ohio to Indiana

USDA estimates Ohio’s corn yield will hit 191 bu. per acre, but Pro Farmer scouts revealed a lower number for Ohio on Monday. The yields are still an improvement from last year.

Growing degree day units might be behind, according to locals. However, scouts saw a more consistent crop this year compared with 2022, according to Brian Grete.

“Ohio is, generally, a hit-or-miss state. There’s a good-quality corn crop here this year, and it’s looking like a hit,” Grete says.

1st stop in Van Wert county OH district 1. We found the corns. Yield check - 233. But plz send rains #PFtour23 pic.twitter.com/SHLAi84aNQ
— Ted Seifried (@TheTedSpread) August 21, 2023

The same story is told in the state’s soybeans, as Josh Yoder’s operation planted the earliest ever recorded.

“We had a nice window to get soybeans planted early,” Yoder says. “Overall, I don’t think we’re going to have a better crop than we saw in 2021, but it will be better than what we saw last year.”

While the early part of Ohio’s growing season saw dry weather, recent rainfalls in the region allowed the crops to bounce back. But fears of nutrient deficiency remain a concern.

“We’ve seen some potassium deficiency flash on our soybeans early in the season. As the next few weeks play out, we’ll find out what kind of impact that lack of moisture really had,” Yoder says.

Growers in Ohio look to retain these projected yields in the last stretch of the growing season through any means necessary, including last-minute fungicide applications put on mere weeks ago.

Watch AgDay’s recap of Day 1 on the eastern leg:

For exclusive access to professional grade news, analysis and advice, subscribe to Pro Farmer here .

USDA Confirms Planters Have Started Rolling in Every State Except North Dakota, South Dakota

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 21:11:59 GMT

Corn and soybean planting is now underway in every state except North Dakota and South Dakota. USDA’s weekly Crop Progress Report shows while farmers in Missouri and Tennessee are planting at a rapid pace, those in the upper Midwest are already behind.

USDA says, as of Sunday, April 23, 14% of the nation’s corn crop is now in the ground— double the amount of corn planted a year ago . At 14% planted, corn planting is 3 percentage points ahead of average, and a 6-point bump in a week .

Other highlights from this week’s corn planting report compared to average include:

Missouri farmers gained another 28 points in planting pace at 58% planted vs. 18% for five-year average
Tennessee is 49% planted vs. 29% for the average pace
Illinois is 18% planted vs. 11% average
Iowa is on pace with average at 10% planted
Indiana is 9% planted vs. 6 % average

There are some states lagging in corn. Here’s a rundown of who’s already running behind:

Minnesota farmers have 1% of their corn planted vs. 8% average pace
Wisconsin is 1% planted vs. 3%
South Dakota hasn’t started planting corn, and the average for this time of year is 2%
North Dakota is 0% planted vs. 1% for the average pace.

Planting pace and emergence seem to be two different issues, as well. USDA reports 3% of the corn crop is now emerged, which is 1 percentage point ahead of average.

Soybean planting is also progressing, with 9% of the nation’s soybeans now planted. This year’s pace is 6 percentage points ahead of the same time last year and 5 points faster than the average planting pace.

There are several states ahead of the curve this season:

Arkansas is 34% planted, double the average pace
Tennessee is 16% planted vs. 3% average
Mississippi farmers have 34% of their crop planted, compared to 25% for the five-year average.
Illinois has 15% of the soybean crop planted, vs. 6% for the average pace

Tale of Two Planting Stories

We asked the U.S. Farm Report Facebook page for any planting progress updates. The responses reiterated what UDSA’s latest progress report shows: Little to nothing is planted in the upper Midwest and Northern Plains, whereas the western Corn Belt continues to making major headway in planting this year.

Matthew Trefz farms in Winchester, Ohio, and he says they’ve finished planting soybeans already. He says as soon as conditions get dry enough again, they will start planting corn.

Allen Ippensen farms near Quincy, Ill., and planting has progressed nicely in his area. Ippensen says he’s planted 100% of his corn, and 40% is emerged. He says 80% of his soybean crop is now in the ground, with 0% emerged.

Steve Clark is located in northwest Oklahoma. He says it’s too dry to plant, and if the rains do come to fruition over the next five days, he may switch to milo to plant. He says it looks like his drought-stricken area of Oklahoma should get a decent rain later this week.

In northeast Georgia, Anita Anderson Spangler says they are getting ready to plant alfalfa for their Angus cattle. A lush landscape shows the ample amount of moisture received this year.

Corey Gross farms in southern Tama County, Iowa. He says they only have 85 acres of corn in the ground and 340 acres of soybean. He says they put planting on pause due to the cold weather, and he thinks it could be another week before they get back in the field. Gross says the ground temperature dropped 20 degrees in three days.

Farther north, Micah Peterson is on the northern Iowa and southern Minnesota border. He planted some of his crops during the warm weather two weeks ago, but since then, he’s seen snowfall three times, and below freezing temperatures five times. Their area also saw rain. He says the forecasts don’t show temperatures above 57 degrees for at least 10 more days. Now, some in the area think they’ll have to possibly replant.

Kevin Wolsky is still staring at snow in his area. He lives in Carrington, North Dakota, where he says it was 31 degrees this morning.

Similarly, Rob Ruff is in the south central part of North Dakota. He thinks it could be mid-May before anything is planted around him. He says last year, they started planting May 15.

How’s planting progressing in your area? Share your photos and comments below.

Farmers in the Northern Plains Gambled Big with Planting Last Year, 2023 Likely Won't Be A Repeat

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 19:57:08 GMT

The crop progress report from USDA on Monday should show an increase in the overall planting progress pace for several states across the Corn Belt. As the market balances its focus between more farmers getting the opportunity to plant, and the reality of saturated soils and more chances of rain and snow in the northern tier of states, farmers decisions on what and when to plant this year are much different than 2022.

It’s hard to forget last year’s planting debacle in North Dakota and South Dakota . Continued rain pushed the start of planting back to late May. Last year, farmers had every incentive to plant, even if that meant to go past crop insurance dates and take on added risk. Tommy Grisafi of Advance Trading says that’s because commodity prices last year encouraged more farmers to plant.

“Last year at this time, we were $7 December corn on our way to $8 December corn, so those farmers planting on June 6 in North Dakota last year, were planting corn hoping and praying that they had a nice fall, and they did, but that’s not always normal in North Dakota,” says Grisafi. “So for how expensive this crop is in the northern plains, North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota up in Canada, are they willing to put the highest price crop they’ve ever planted into the ground very late and a lot of things have to go right for that to go well?

Grisafi says last year, farmers planted everything but corn, since the price of soybeans, canola, sunflowers and a host of other crops were so strong.

“Now, the price of all of those things, edible beans, barley and everything, have calmed down tremendously. There’s not as much motivation to put in a crop and it not go well. And so financially, it could be a disaster,” says Grisafi.

Kristi Van Ahn-Kjeseth, COO at Van Ahn & Co, says farmers in the northern plains aren’t getting excited about planting crops like spring wheat due to current prices. She says for wheat, as well as corn and soybeans, there are a couple major price levels that farmers need to watch.

“Right now, we’re focusing in on this $5.50 level for December corn. It’s a level that needs to hold,” she says. “You look at recent lows just below it, and so that’s going to be a watch point for us to see if we can stabilize here. We know we generated a good crop insurance price, but that only covers so much when you look at it.

She says the key line to watch for soybean price levels is $13.

“We’ve came down and tested it multiple times, and it just seems to be holding pretty strong. So, we’re going to trust that level.”

Van Ahn-Kjeseth points out it’s a different story for spring wheat since there’s currently not a lot of potential for profitability with spring wheat this year. And if the wet weather pattern continues, spring wheat acreage could drop even further.

“Last year, they did have a really, really late spring. And they took a gamble on it, put it in because spring white spring wheat was so high priced. It actually worked out for them. They had great yields when you look at spring wheat, but this year is a little bit different. The profitability is not so much there. And I think you’re going to look at a producer saying where is the profitability? And I think you’re going to see those farmers start on that corn and see what they can get in for corn first.”

She says the prevent plant rules also changes, where farmers can now graze it. She thinks that may play a big role in more farmers possibly utilizing the prevent plant option, since they can rent that ground out for cattle grazing.

Prevent Plant Concerns Heat Up As the Upper Midwest Could See the Worst Winter Storm of the Year

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 18:23:34 GMT

Two to three feet of snow is forecast to fall over parts of South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota this week. The area is already seeing historic snowpack, and with another storm on the way, some market watchers are beginning to question if 92 million acres of corn can actually get planted this year.

It’s been a long winter for those in the upper Midwest, and this week’s forecast could bring the biggest winter storm yet. The storm is also bringing 40 to 50 mph winds, which will make it tough for ranchers and cattle producers in the middle of calving season. Blizzard warnings have been issued for six states, including Wyoming, northeast Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota.

A significant April snowstorm is set to begin across the Intermountain West, central Rockies, and parts of the central High Plains today before spreading into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Tuesday. See the latest Key Messages for more information. pic.twitter.com/C6n9iS5ij5
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) April 3, 2023

⚠️ STORM UPDATE FOR MONDAY NIGHT - WEDNESDAY

- Travel impacts are expected, worsening further north and west where a blizzard is possible.
- The heaviest snow has shifted northwest, but 40-50+ mph gusts are expected!

Continue to monitor the forecast for updates! pic.twitter.com/mdvjZLekni
— NWS Sioux Falls (@NWSSiouxFalls) April 2, 2023

The late winter storm comes on the heels of USDA’s Prospective Plantings Report on Friday. USDA’s March plantings report showed farmers plan to plant more corn than soybeans this year.

Corn: 91.9 million, up 4% from 2022
Soybeans: 87.51 million, up slightly from 2022
All Wheat: 49.9 million, up 9% from 2022
Cotton: 11.3 million, down 18% from 2022

USDA also projects 318.1 million acres of principle crops to be planted this year. That’s 6 million more acres than in 2022 and nearly 1 million more acres than farmers planted in 2021.

A powerful snowstorm will evolve into a dangerous blizzard and drop more than 2 feet of snow across parts of the north-central US this week: https://t.co/T4WCyYiDMz pic.twitter.com/ESQlcbmsq0
— Breaking Weather by AccuWeather (@breakingweather) April 3, 2023

Peter Meyer of S&P Global Commodity Insights says the thing to watch is where farmers plan to plant more corn, especially in the northern tier of states that are facing historic snowfall and winter moisture, with another winter storm on the way.

“It’s where the corn acres sit, 1.3 million acres in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, which from all indications farmers will not be able to get into the field to plant until mid-April when the temperature breaks,” Meyer says. “They’re looking at record snowpack with more cold temperatures coming. But USDA’s report does makes sense, because economically speaking, farmers should be planting corn.”

USDA shows North Dakota’s corn acres could be up a whopping 27% from last year.

It’s still early in the year, but with the latest winter storm forecast, along with flood forecasts already pointing to an elevated risk of flooding this year in parts of the Midwest, conversations about possible prevent plant are also surfacing.

Tregg Cronin, a farmer and market analyst in South Dakota, says it’s too early to talk about prevent plant, but he points out conditions are ripe for planting delays across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“If we’re experiencing the same weather conditions three weeks from now, I don’t think it’s going to be a stretch, and we will have some prevent plant this year. That’s almost a certainty in some regions,” Cronin said two weeks ago on U.S. Farm Report. “The other thing to remember is a lot of our area ended the year fairly empty on soil moisture. A lot of what we’ve seen this winter has gone in the ground, so I think we’re going to see a nice recharge of soil profiles.”

MORE Snow in the Northern US? + Crude Rally https://t.co/Tz9pdaIjgf via @YouTube #corn #soybeans #wheat #crudeoil #USDA pic.twitter.com/hB17Pjdd4w
— Joe Vaclavik (@StandardGrain) April 3, 2023

As a farmer in an area of South Dakota that was plagued with drought conditions in 2022, Cronin says he’s more concerned about recharging the moisture in his soils than he is about getting into the field at this point in the season. However, there’s a caveat.

“If these forecasts don’t change, and we’re into the middle of April and still looking at below-normal temperatures and snow to melt, then prevent plant discussions are really going to ramp up, which will be interesting with acres already so tight for everything from specialties to corn to soybeans to wheat,” Cronin says. “Everybody needs acres this year. If it does play out over the next few weeks, you’re going to start to see markets get a little bit jumpy, I think.”

Just a wee bit of snow in the field 😂❄️ pic.twitter.com/p3uyyEJ01l
— 👣 Barefoot’n Farmer 👣 🇺🇸🚤🇺🇸 (@LouieDN) April 1, 2023

Dan Bosse of Bolt Marketing also resides in South Dakota, an area that was concerned about planting issues even before this week’s storm.

“With the snowpack up here, and a possibly colder start to the spring, that really puts into question spring wheat acres, and the market’s job might be to make sure those acres get planted. Usually that means higher prices,” Bosse says. “But to Tregg’s point, we are a little early to talk about planting delays. We don’t usually see a rally until the May timeframe when the progress reports come out and they show we’re behind.”

There have been reports of farmers who increased their prevent plant coverage, which could be another sign farmers in the northern Corn Belt are worried about planting issues this spring.

NOAA’s spring flood outlook says snow water equivalent values (SWE) across the upper Mississippi River are the biggest factor leading to their projection of possible flooding this year due to spring melt.

As of March 20, 2023, the SWE amounts across northern and central Minnesota were between 5 and 7 inches. In Wisconsin, that amount is between 6 to 8 inches.

“These values are in the top 10% to 20% of the historical record and are the primary driver of the above-normal chance of flooding along the Mississippi River,” NOAA said in its outlook. “SWE values significantly drop along a line from roughly Austin, Minn. to Wausau, Wis.”