Use this link to send us your comments (or e-mail CropComments@agweb.com) about the crops in your local area. Be sure to send us your photos and videos! Comments will be edited for brevity and clarity. (Please keep your comments crop-related.)
Here's a sampling of what some folks are saying:
- 6/19 - Stearns County, Minn.: Corn looking better by the day with the warmer temps, but soybeans look horrible. There are virtually no soybeans that look good anywhere in MN that I have seen. Whoever is reporting these crop conditions to USDA at a local level should lay off the whiskey and get out and actually look at the crops countywide. I can't believe soybean prices are not skyrocketing!!
- 6/19 - Palo Alto County, Iowa: Still haven't planted a bean or replanted corn. What beans are being put in are getting spread on with a floater and being worked in with a field cultivator, but with mud balls the size of basketballs and getting stuck several times a day, it's not worth it. Nneighbors had to get an excavator to get their big track tractor out today. Hope some guys will have a bean crop this year 'cause in our area there won't be one. Never seen such a mess.
- 6/19 - East Central Iowa: It is kind of hard for me to read what a lot of you are going through when things look like they do here. Don't get me wrong, not every field looks good to excellent, but we are doing a lot better than most. For comparison, went by the local golf course and seen the sprinklers running at dusk. Like I stated earlier, in 10-14 days we may be praying for rain! Corn has gone through it's "ugly stage" as I call it. Last week some of the corn was hitting the nitrogen zone and some wasn't. Second-pass corn is in full swing as is first-crop hay. Last week we were supposed to get 2-4" of rain, received less that, 2/10's, while others got the 2-4". Like some of you guys have said, think about those who are not as fortunate. Picture is of 15" corn planted May 1st. We also have 30" corn planted May 17th.
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- 6/19 - Whiteside County, Ill.: I may be having flashbacks. Are those pictures from the late '70s?
- 6/19 - Johnson County, Iowa: Had to replant some beans. Sidedressing all done. Corn sprayed and started spraying beans. Some corn is knee high. Things look good right now.
- 6/19 - Rush County, Ind.: Started planting corn May 4th and soybeans on 5th. Finished on the 15th with both crops; almost scary compared to last year. Near perfect growing conditions. We are a little behind on moisture, but with temps running behind its OK. Early corn is waist-high and 15-inch beans will be closing the rows. So far so GOOD!
- 6/19 - Dallas County, Iowa: My blood boils when I read recent analysts' articles saying the weather premium has been priced into the market or that we are are "overpriced." What are they smoking?? USDA says that for all practical purposes we are 100% planted in corn. Combine that with the 6/16 CBS News program that reported that Iowa's corn is rated (Iowa is the USA's leading corn producer) as 4% VERY POOR, 12% POOR, 11% NOT EMERGED (may not) and 6% PREVENTED PLANTING. Add that up and that tells me that 33% of Iowa's corn acres will produce little or no corn. And we are not alone. Many surrounding states are suffering as well. I know there are parts of the country that will have average crop production and even good yields, but tell me, what miracle will have to happen to produce a record or even average crop nationally? Sun and 80-degree days into December? Not going to happen! Our soybeans are in worse shape yet, with many more PP acres. Users - you had better lock in bushels while you can, because we will be a tad bit short come fall. Nuff said. My blood pressure is rising as I look across the drowned out fields!
- 6/19 - Grant County, Wis.: How can they say we're 100% planted? My neighbor has 100 acres of corn to plant yet. Another friend has about 50 left to go plus a lot of beans need to go in yet.
- 6/18 - Northeast Oklahoma: I drove up to Minnesota through Missouri and Iowa this weekend. I went up through central Iowa and back down the west side. The corn was way behind all the way up. The size of the drowned out spots were huge. So much corn under 6 inches tall. The corn just south of the Minnesota line the just emerged this week will have to have a real late frost date to think of making. The soybeans or the lack of is the real story. From Fort Dodge north there were areas I would drive for miles and see all the soybean fields bare. The unplanted fields started north of Joplin Missouri and continued for 700 miles north. Every field had water standing on it. The only field work I encountered was some corn spraying in western Minnesota. So USDA if you really don't know what's going on stop posting false numbers. I saw close to 100,000 flooded, unplanted or drowned out acres from my pickup window.
- 6/18 - Perry County, Pa.: Corn planted first week of May, now knee high and looking good. Due to rain, beans in first week of June, all emerged. First hay just being made and very old!! Need rain every week in Pa too get a crop, had too much in May and June!!
- 6/18 - Clark County, Wis.: Fields are very wet in central Wisconsin. Many dairy farmers have 0 to 25% of their crops in the ground. Many farmers are running out of feed and forced to green chop, hay field are too wet to harvest unless you want to wreck the field.
- 6/18 - Northeast North Dakota: Planting is pretty much finished here with lots of acres not planted. I have hard time putting estimate on planted acreage but my guess would be around 60 percent because go from area to area where some areas have high percentage and others very little planted. Also vast majority of the crop has been planted in the last week so this crop is way behind. The earlier planted crop is lagging from the wet cold spring. Corn planted in my area is real small and if we don't get some heat in future this crop. Isn't going to make it. I also think wheat has taken big hit on acreage with large pp percentage and soybeans and canola gaining acreage from wheat. I think market is for big surprise on number of pp acres and how that's going effect final acres and production. Also a lot of late crop that's going effect production on lower yields. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/18 - Caldwell County, Mo.: The bottoms may never get planted if it doesn’t dry soon. Corn has several yellow spots beans are finally getting going. The pictures show friends helping each other.
- 6/18 - Juneau County, Wis.: We had over 18 inches of rain since April. Our corn that’s in, looks tough, with yellow drowned out and lacking nitrogen. Very few beans planted in our region, the last corn or beans planted between storms is small or hasn't come up yet, or under water, probably take PP on beans ,if it stopped raining now it would take two weeks to maybe get in fields, and rain forecast for Friday and Saturday. Never thought I couldn't get at least half a crop of beans on our land but this year might not get any. Pray for the dairy farmers and neighbors who haven't got anything planted yet. God Bless.
- 6/18 - Buffalo County, Neb.: I worked like a bull's tail during fly season to get all my corn planted before the May 1st blizzard. It took 4 long days and it all came up. Got 5.20" early June and not a drop since. The poor aquifer is going to get a workout again this year. Corn and beans do look beautiful as they do every year. Only problem is herbicide carryover. Any overlap or over application from last season sprouted but is now dead. I don't have an agronomist (or would ever think of paying one) but they say the pukey looking corn is due to the damp cold spring. Residual damage will ding the crops and I'd guess 20% of corn fields have problems.
- 6/18 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Imagine a world where the USDA released the actual county and state "field data" that was collected, compiled and analyzed to create a crop report. Do they already do this or am I just missing something? Why wouldn't the USDA want to provide that field data to us? After all, the USDA maintains that their county field data accurately reflects the local situation on the ground and so, why shouldn't we, as producers, be able to confirm what USDA is saying by comparing their county numbers to what we're seeing with our own eyes. And what if we found out that the USDA numbers were right? Well, that would be great, wouldn't it? Finally, something we could trust because we could verify. Instead, what we currently have is a crop reporting system we don't trust because we can't see the raw data that was used to create the crop reports. This is called transparency, folks, and it's long overdue. Because crop reports affect people’s lives, the county and state field data should be made public at the same time as the crop report that was derived from the field data. We need a more transparent crop reporting system.
- 6/18 - South central Nebraska: The temps are rising, and it’s getting very dry. The center pivots will soon be running nonstop. With that said, the crop looks great could be another year of record yields.
- 6/18 - Rapides Parish, La.: All our corn past roasting ear stage. Milo about 75% headed, soybeans all up. Started spraying middles in beans. Some narrow row beans have herbicide damage. A little too much Valor, I think. Starting to come out of it. Overall, crops in this area look pretty good. Be safe and Good Luck this year!
- 6/18 - Kossuth County, Iowa: I will start planting beans in 2 days?
- 6/18 - Somerset County, Pa.: All corn is emerged most is planted. Ours was planted 5/14/13 got 1 1/2 inches of rain the last week. We are v6 right now. We’ve had warm sunny days and cooler nights. Soybeans are up too, and looking good to average in most places. Most places in this county the last 2 weeks no-till has been looking the best.
- 6/18 - Hancock County, Iowa: Finally cutting our first cutting of hay today. Just have not had enough sunny, dry days in a row to cut it. We got all corn & bean planted. Corn looks good, lots of unplanted wet spots in beans. There are a lot of acres of beans not planted in our area and some corn too. Thank you God for some sun this week!
- 6/18 - Catawba, N.C.: Corn is up and looks great. We planted into Cover crops this year and you can tell it. looking for 150bu to 175bu with continued rains. Beans are at 2nd trifoliolate and looking great. Hope everyone has a better year then last and can pay the bills.
- 6/18 - Dunn, Wis.: We got done but only because of no till planting. There are a lot of farmers that have not even started corn yet.
- 6/18 -Wilbarger County, Texas: 2600 acres of HRW averaged 12 bu. I was one of the highest in the county. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/18 - Gratiot County, Mich.: Corn and beans are finally finished. Most of our crops were planted timely but the last 130 acres of beans were completed 6/9. Corn is finally started to return to a normal color after the cold temps and excessive rains. Otherwise while a wet spring things are returning to normal in our area. Lots of replanting of Sugar Beets, Corn and Soybeans that took place in the last week - we were fortunate that we did not have to do any replanting. Here's to a normal rest of the summer - whatever that may be.
- 6/17 - Lenawee County, Mich.: Corn and beans look good. Think wheat looks really good, hope so price keep going down. always something to gripe about. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/17 - Lucas County, Iowa: Our Crop Insurance agent says an unprecedented amount of prevented planting claims being filed for both corn and soybeans in south central Iowa, with many more to come. If only 50% of the bean acres get seeded, how can the USDA call it 100% planted! AND they will - and the CBOT will send prices down.
- 6/17 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: A powerful storm with long duration high winds speeds and strong gusts moved through almost 5,000 square miles of western Illinois on Saturday night, June 14th. The wind knocked my rain gauge over, but when I picked it up, there was still 2" of water inside it. The corn got pushed over and some of it was knocked down. Being only a foot tall or less, in most cases, the corn will recover, but it's hard to believe that it didn't have some negative effect. Almost all the beans have been planted for the first time...lots of replanting though, more than the seed dealers can ever recall. Drowned out spots in the corn even got patched up before June 14th monsoon...but now, there's more water in the wet holes than I've seen for the last three weeks. So...just how the well seed germinates and grows under water in super-saturated soil conditions during an up-coming stretch of hot sunny days, well, we're gonna find out.
- 6/17 - San Diego, Calf.: If these wet, cool conditions in the Corn Belt (combined with late planting) are followed by hot dry conditions as the high pressure moves east, last year's high prices will look like the good old days! Could easily make record highs.
- 6/17 - Lafayette County, Wis.: We have received some rains since planting, but conditions are dry, corn on sandy nobs yellowing, beans on lighter clay loam are curling, seems rain storms are splitting and going north and south of us as they did in 2012. I took a drive to Mo. to look at a tractor, IA, IL and MO did not impress me crop wise, small yellow corn, small beans, very, very wet.
- 6/17 - Le Sueur, Minn.: All depends on where you live and farm. Most of the county seems to be in fair shape. Need warmth and a chance to finish spraying. Hoping for the best.
- 6/17 - Boone County, Iowa: Drove approx 150 miles from Fort Dodge, Iowa south, on Wed 6/12. Virtually nothing looks like it has the potential to produce anything near an average yield. Thousands of wet unplanted acres of beans and it rained even more on the 13th & 14th. 30 miles west of Ames, prime ag land, they got 7-9 inches of rain on Fri the 14th. Even if beans were to get planted in the next 10 days (which they won't)what chance do they have of making anywhere close to an average yield? I'll bet the farm, Iowa SB yield will be between 20 and 30 bu with an average around 25-26 - for the State of Iowa. And what about all the PP acres? USDA may continue to play games with the numbers, albeit with the help of analysts, professors and other "experts". But eventually this distortion will come home to roost. End users - you had better buy every bushel of corn and beans that you can - while you can. I just hope I have grain to sell.
- 6/17 - Iowa County, Iowa: Corn and soybean planting done for the most part, only exception would be river bottoms. Early planted corn and soybeans look good. Corn and soybeans planted May 16th - 18th was slow emerging with reduced stand and population. Side hills, flat areas, are short yellow and poor stands. My opinion we will need a full growing season for this crop to reach maturity we are just slow growing this year. If our growing season ends anything earlier than average we could have a crop disaster. To cold and to wet crop is all small we will be lucky to have corn knee high by the 4th of July, pollination will be in August, and this does not make for trend line yields.
- 6/17 - Caldwell County, Mo.: Picture was taken on June 13 as we wait for the seed tender. We got rained out Friday and have about 300 acres left.
- 6/17 - Fulton County, Ill.: We have a lot of drowned out crops that will have to be replanted at reduced yields. And more switched to soybeans.
- 6/17 - Brown County, S.D.: Corn and beans 100% planted. Dry early and much needed rain last 2 weeks. Area looks as good as I’ve seen in 40 years of farming
- 6/17 - Craigmont, (Lewis County), Idaho: We grow soft white wheat and garbanzos. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/14 - Madison, N.Y.: Very wet conditions. We’re now trying to get last of crop in this weekend. The crop that's in is coming, but needs heat.
- 6/14 - Grundy County, Mo.: Corn is all in, about 20% replanted. All the wet spots are yellow but the higher ground looks better after the sunshine this week. Had to replant about all of the beans that we had in because of the cold wet weather. Finished beans today. More rain over the weekend. Overall I'd guess beans about 75% planted, 25% emerged. Very little haying has even been started on yet.
- 6/14 - Jasper County, Ind.: Drive around here and it turns your stomach--yellow corn high and low-drown outs, replants drowned out, chemical damage form the water somehow, just a mess. This is the worst start here in 20 years. Corn might be knee high by 4th, maybe. Last year was all tasseled in June. We are going to need every bushel of carry out to get this bin buster into the dryer so we can keep the e-plants and livestock guys going. I think USDA should be let go. We don't need help like they give.
- 6/14 - Winnebago County, Iowa: Talking with lender, crop adjuster and seed dealer going over all the expenses of planting beans and we are taking prevent on 900 acres of beans. APH is 51 bu on an 80% optional units brings in around $310. If planted expenses will be a little over $200 before cash rent - Have replanted beans in June 4 times over 40 years and yields ranged from 17 -28 bu. in 15 inch rows. Prevent keeps my APH untouched. Its risk off for me as we own the land - buying November calls in case prices explode.
- 6/14 - Cuming County, Neb.: Why would the USDA tell the truth? The gov is banking on a huge crop to bail them out of last year’s lies. All of the acres zeroed out because of the drought will be flooded out this year but don't worry we just won't count them! Less acres = more yield and then we can get to 3$ corn and that's what the lobbyist have been paying them for!
- 6/14 - Williamson County (Central Texas), Texas: Blacklands. Half the county is flash burning, yet people think we have a bumper crop because they only drive by and look at the outside rows. Surprise, surprise. Drought stricken areas will be lucky to average 50 bushels. We have recorded rainfalls on many different fields that are in the 5 inch rain for a 5 month period, with temps in the upper 90s, wind blowing 15 mph every day, dew points in the 50s and 50% humidity, and no relief in sight. 50 bushel corn at $6 will not pay the bills, Mr. USDA.
- 6/14 - Ottertail County, Minn.: Most of the corn is planted, some wet fields yet to finish up. The corn is about 3 inches and starting to turn green. Soybeans are mostly planted and just starting poke through. It does not matter if they were planted one week ago or 3 weeks ago, they are just coming up. Some of the stands look thin. I drove about 200 miles in the last 2 days, I saw a handful of wheat fields and one corn field that I would say was in the good to excellent category for this time of year. Most of the soybeans were just starting to poke through and look the most promising at 55 mph. Have a safe spring and best to all. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/14 - Kent County, Mich.: Got done planting the latest ever. Side dress is about 1/3 done. Need heat!! Hoping wheat will yield well. Drought then this?!! Wow!! It pays to be conservative. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/14 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Less than a tenth of an inch this last week has allowed work to progress. Still, I can't recall this many acres of beans that have yet to emerge and a good number of fields that are yet to be planted. Some corn fields being torn-up and planted to beans. Almost every cornfield shows damage of one sort or another...yellow, stunted, uneven, drowned, dead. We replanted 20% of our beans, but now the ground is dry and unless it rains, emergence is going to be an issue. Speaking of dry, I saw a large dust-devil today in standing corn. The old-timers say this is a sign of drier weather to come. Looking at the 100 degree heat in the southwest leads me to believe that even after the worst start in memory, the challenges facing this crop are far from over...and yet, the number crunchers would have you believe that a bumper crop is already in the bins. I wish to inform them that there will be no grains piles this fall and the only bumper crop around these parts will be an oversupply of empty on-farm storage.
- 6/14 - San Diego, Calif.: Exact opposite of last year in Corn Belt. Last year too little rain & too much heat, this year too much rain & too little heat. Both cases end up with below expectation yields. Not in prices yet.
- 6/13 - Blue Earth County, Minn.: Corn 6 to 8 in tall, beans up. Had 2.5 in rain last night. 15 miles east 5 in. Fairbuilt County line. 50% beans planted. probably done planting. Hope to spray next week.
- 6/13 - Union County, Pa.: Everything is in and up and growing well. Needed to replant 5% of corn due to excessive moisture in early May. Some corn knee-high now and growing fast with good color. 15" beans about to canopy. Almost 2" rain this week which is good to recharge ground moisture-we are still 4" below normal for the year
- 6/13 - Lorain County, Ohio: We finished planting crops 3 weeks ago then helped others finish there’s. 95% in the area done. Some had to replant because of frost damage. Corn looks good, beans just necking to 4" tall. We need some sun and warmth. 1 3/4" in the last week. Buttt... last year was a once in a lifetime blessing so all in all I’m happy were we are. Our thoughts and prayers for those north and west of us
- 6/13 - Clark County, Ohio: We finished planting corn and beans on May 30. Some of the ground was wetter than we wished for but we wanted to finish before additional rain fall stopped us. We had a half inch of rainfall every 3-4 days all spring. We had to plant many fields in 2 or 3 sessions and had trouble post spraying because of partial emergence when other parts of the same field were 2 weeks behind. We received 3 inches of rain in the last week. Many low spots are drowned out or suffering from being waterlogged. The ragweed looks better than ever. Crop conditions vary over the county, but it looks like anything (beans or corn) that were planted early are in the best shape. I had 30 acres planted April 12th that took almost 3 weeks to come up and we almost gave up on it, but it looks great now. May be our best field this year. Our prayers go out for the farmers and their families who continue to suffer through the weather....may God be with you.
- 6/13 - Plymouth County, Iowa: Where USDA goes wrong is they start out with yield of a perfect year everywhere. Out of my 40 years in farming I remember 1 year where it was near perfect all year. I have never started planting corn after May 20 and beans in June and I did both this year.
- 6/13 - Sibley County, Minn.: Time will tell but this sure looks a lot like the 1993 crops and markets. Crops are way behind and the markets didn't react to the smaller crop until the fall of 1993. Why do we have USDA reports? They never reflect the true picture.
- 6/13 - Orleans, New York: Started out very dry. Most corn planted, 75 percent beans planted. Over 4inches rain since memorial day, needless to say spotty planting since! Most 1st. cutting hay chopped last half of May. Very little baled!
- 6/13 - Eastern Faribault County, Minn.: Took another pounding last night with fast hard rains. Will lose more corn in the low ground do to ponding in addition to what didn’t come up on the sidehills. Corn fields with huge black spots with no stand. Acres untouched here with guys starting to wonder if we will have to prevent plant the beans also. Absolutely a disaster. I will take drought any day over this mess. Last year we had 175 bu corn on about 4-5 inches of summer rain. This year we have a little over 20 inches in last 60 days with a foot of snow to boot. Wish I had a bin full of oats to sell for all the idle acres. It’s awfully hard to see 11K land sit idle.
- 6/13 - Palo Alto County, Iowa.: Picture is the common sight across the area. Half fields of corn and completely bare soybean fields. What beans did get planted dampened off just like the corn and are only half fields. Several neighbors throwing in the towel and taking prevent plant. We will plan to plant soybeans until July 1 but will take prevent plant after that. Had another half inch early this morning. Need a week of dry weather before we can go but rain coming again over the weekend. Wish we could send it to put out the wildfires.
- 6/13 - Extreme Northeastern Kansas: In my 41 years of farming, the only year that comes close to this one for not being able to plant due to wet is 1995. We have had rain every 3 days since April 5th. Somehow we got the corn planted in about 3 shots of one or two days each. It is standing in water and yellow but at least it is in the ground. I estimate it is about 3 to 4 weeks behind normal. The soybeans are a different story. Our last chance to plant beans was May 25 and we are waiting on waterlogged soils to plant the last 20% of our acres. I am going to try it tomorrow, but I will be lucky to get 25 acres in around the standing water and mud. I need to start replanting soybeans as everything between the terrace tops drowned out and of course it is the wettest ground. My agronomist told me if I can’t get planted by July 4th to keep my seed in the bag as it will not pay. We are basically looking at double crop yields for the beans we have left to plant. Oh yeah, rain in the forecast for 3 days this weekend. I guess this crop is made, though. Just ask the CBOT. It was made before planting season ever got started.
- 6/13 - Talbot County, Md.: I didn't know water was so flammable, but around here there is a lot of corn on fire from too much water. Anywhere from 5" to 8" of rain fell last week in the tri county area from Andrea . I have seen corn on the sides of hills rolled up and on fire from too much water, and more on the way with Derecheo, what’s next hurricane possibly, hope not . Barley harvest probably third harvested, wheat about a week to ten days depending on weather. Hope china has some grain to feed their new hog operation. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/13 - Woodford County, Ill.: Corn looks tough and a lot flooded out. I'm sure nitrogen would help and it looks like thats in future plans. Finished beans today 6/12. Conditions and crops are far from good. My records back to 1970 would indicate at least 15% below average yields for this year. As you might expect the pattern tiled fields look the best with a good return this year.
- 6/13 - Eau Claire, Wis.: I have never seen so many unplanted in my area some guys without insurance still try to plant something and raining today where does USDA get there numbers from . If I need corn for feed I be buying it and fast
- 6/13 - Yakima, Wash.: Corn looks good. Hay getting ready for second cutting this weekend. Asparagus cutting is done. Cherries are about ready. Lots of water in the reservoirs for the irrigation season. I’m in a happy place!!!
- 6/13 - Sibley County, Minn.: Most crops planted.
- 6/13 - Central Illinois: Bill Graff explains what too much rain does to an average field of corn. Had 10.5 inches of rain in May with 6 inches in one week. Drowned out and gapped corn. There are worse fields with lots more standing water than this one. But Bill wanted to show what an average field looks like with old drainage tile. How the corn is stressed and dying. Video courtesy of http://FarmAndRanchCountry.com.
- 6/12 - Polk County, Iowa: Tried to work unplanted acres yesterday. Many still too wet, but some worth trying. Not able plant, hoping for a few hours of airing the soil out. Didn't work - heavy showers overnight and more coming later today. New forecast of heavy rains in 3 days. Thousands of Central Iowa acres of last year’s corn stubble, intended for SB are still unworked and will be unplanted or at best planted in very poor delayed conditions - two months late. Extremely frustrated! But we're not alone - even worse in many other parts of the state.
- 6/12 - Hancock County, Iowa: Apparently rain makes grain, even if it is still in the bag!
- 6/12 - Olmsted County, Minn.: Got in the field May 15, and rains returned the evening of May 16. Fields were too wet then, but has been mud very since. What is going in is getting mudded in and 80% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow. If it rains will take pp on corn and beans. Have never seen prevented plant in this area.
- 6/12 - Houston County, Minn.: Planting 50 acres of beans today. Then we are done. Don't even want to think about putting up hay. Drove 100 miles from Spring Grove to Albert Lea, Minn., on 6/7. Crossed some of the best farmland in the state. Saw no beans, corn was small, yellow, and spotty to say the least. Vast tracks of bare land with nothing planted. Ditches full of soil. It looks like a horror story, end of the world, scenario.
- 6/11 - O'Brien County, Iowa: The corn is only about 4" tall but will grow like crazy if we can get more than a few hours of sunshine. Since May 31 we have had over 12" of rain. The crops are too waterlogged to grow in this cloudy, drizzly weather. We did get first cutting of alfalfa put up; chopped it for haylage Friday.
- 6/11 - Richland Parish, La.: You don't even recognize us as a corn state. Why should I comment on our good crop?
- 6/10 - Holland, Mich.: About 25 acres to go on corn and wouldn't ya know it another inch of rain a minute, why wouldn't it?!?! Story of our spring up here these days.....
- 6/10 - Henry County, Mo.: Corn is from V-3 to V-5 some looks good and some yellow needs warm weather. We are 20% planted on beans which is high for this area, pretty good stand considering all the rain. At some point someone has to say enough is enough with these stupid government reports they just need to drive around a little and they would see the disasters across the country oh wait that would mean getting out of the office. Good luck to all on finishing up planting.
- 6/10 -Dallas County, Iowa: This is old news, but it's raining again. Around Central and Southern Iowa, if it wasn't planted prior to 30 days ago, it probably won't be. We have had 1/2 inch plus every 3 or 4 days. And while rain chances are going down, forecasts call for rain chances, 25% plus, for 4 out of the next 7 days. It will take only one rain next week to prevent planting past the 20th! Our corn is 75% planted, but approx 10% lost to drown outs. Only 25% SB planted (30+ days ago) less than 1 inch tall and looking poor. Unplanted ground getting weedy and way too wet to get a spray rig in. Prevented planting may be the only alternative on both corn and SB acres.
- 6/10 - Cerro Gordo County, Iowa: Had 4 days to plant corn from May 14th-17th. Since then have maybe put in 1 or 2 days. Got back in yesterday (June 8th) to put in first beans (105 acres). Got rained out today with an inch and a half of rain. Going to build an ark.
- 6/10 - Jackson County, Wis.: Can’t even get sand mudded in gonna be lot of prevent plant just few miles to north and east haven’t turned a wheel. Fortunate to be 60% done with both corn and beans. Now for spraying and sidedressing.
- 6/10 - Norman County. Minn.: Spring wheat is good needs some sun but is growing good just not many acres. Corn has stolen it's thunder and there is a lot of new growers this year. The crop has emerged well and at this point is fine but if weather doesn't straighten out it will struggle to make it to the finish line with any sort of quality. Beans are all over the board some are still being planted and some are being sprayed for the first time. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/10 - Caldwell County, Mo.: Our beans look good but they have been planted since May 18th. I’m helping a friend now – everything we planted Memorial Day weekend got to be replanted. Neighbor baled some of his wheat, another is trying to get his alfalfa up. It has rained 3 hours now. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/10 - Eastern Faribault County, Minn.: More rain again, talked to insurance agent, and a large percentage will throw in the towel on corn and take the insurance check. This will be the first time since the set aside programs in the 1980s so many acres will sit idle. To the east of us conditions are worse, where some barely got started on corn and never got back in. A lot of the corn that is planted has terrible stands with big black spots on the side hills and in the draws. These fields won’t get fixed or replanted because it will be too late by the time it dries up. The only corn that looks good are the fields that were planted before the foot of snow on May 1. These are the fields all the agronomy and seed corn "experts" advised against planting. The extended forecast is cool and wet. My guess is a lot of the beans won’t get planted here until after June 15, which is only 10 days away. Looks like 1993 all over again.
- 6/10 - Cavalier County, N.D.: Nothing planted and nothing will be. Most of what has been planted is washed out and in terrible shape. It is a total wasteland in my area and the neighboring counties. We are past our deadline for nearly all crops. 13 plus inches of rain already this spring and more on the way. Depressing!
- 6/10 - Freeborn County, Minn.: Will try to start soybeans on Sat. (06/08). I gave up on corn: just too late up here if we have normal frost date. Will need to pull N test before sidedress to see how much was lost from fall app w/n-serv. Just gives me more time to restore great grandfather's 1936 John Deere model B
- 6/10 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Go look up the National Weather Service Precipitation Analysis web page. See how much rain you and everybody else have received over the last 30 days. Now consider the probability that areas which received the same rainfall as you are probably in about the same condition as you. Areas that got more rain are in worse shape. Areas that got less rain are in better shape. Now use your own judgment and take a moment to reflect on the current condition of this crop, where we are at in time and the weather. Thanks, I'll have that drink now...
- 6/10 - Saginaw County, Mich.: After 4 flooding events, I still felt bad I had missed the corn prevented plant date of 6-5-13 for my area. Then I saw another river flat field across the Cass River with an 15 acre puddle. Count my blessings as I have puddles pumped out as of today but sill to wet to work for a few days and rain in forecast. 1% per day loss of crop insurance coverage will press me to go with soy beans. If photo copies it is of 150 acre farmland lake at this level twice.
- 6/10 - Georgia: It is raining. We are close to losing wheat. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/6 - Allamakee County, Iowa: I have about 100 acres of corn left to plant. How late can we plant in northern Iowa, and be safe from frost on Sept. 1? I have about 100 acres to go, won’t get in the field until Sunday or Monday. Thanks.
- 6/6 - East central Wisconsin: Our area has been receiving 1-2 inches of rain each week. Many farms have not moved 1 ounce of dirt. We have heavy clay, so either you wait or have corn that will be 2 feet tall at harvest. 80% of the alfalfa is also frozen out. It’s going to be a year to remember. Just praying we and others can get enough feed made to feed all the cows.
- 6/6 - East central Iowa: Finished beans Tuesday morning, some replant corn (my screw up) Tuesday afternoon right before rain showers moved in. I would have to say we may be in one of the garden spots from what I see, hear and read. This year that isn't saying much. We are wet, but have had dry spells in-between to wrap up planting. There are a few acres of corn and beans to plant yet, maybe 2% of the corn and 5% of the beans. Corn looks good overall, with some corn showing signs of too much rain and not enough sun. A lot of hay is being washed that was cut the last 3-5 days. We were supposed to have a decent week, and then they threw in showers for just about every day. Still feel for those of you who have it way worse than we do.
- 6/6 - Rice County, Minn.: South Central Nebraska: I'm saying there are far too many late planting and now prevented plant acres to consider for a significant area of U.S. production. A lot of acres were planted in less than ideal conditions. Emergence problems will be the next issue.
- 6/6 - Freeborn County, Minn.: Wet weather will not let up. Only 1/2 corn in. I remember 1982 and 1993 not worth the risk that is why we have good crop insurance. Will try to get sidedress done and post spraying.
- 6/6 - Monroe County, Iowa: I hope everyone that was hoping for a wet spring to recharge the soil moisture are now happy. I told many folks, "Let’s get the crop in the ground and just get timely rains all summer instead." Instead I have had a pile of dead calves in all the cold, rain, snow, and mud we have had since March. About half the corn is planted, the rest will stay in the bag. Only 45 acres of beans planted and I'm starting to wonder if the rest of it will remain in the bag as well. It has rained every day since before Memorial Day. I have stop keep track because it doesn't matter if it rains .1 or 5 inches. Just a matter of how bad the erosion is with each rain.
- 6/6 - Trempealeau County, Wis.: After another .9 tenths of rain last night and today, the decision was made to call the insurance agent and file a prevent planting claim. Any seed will be better off in the bag than in the mud! Good luck to everyone who can still plant.
- 6/6 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Wow! I thought three days of sunshine and warmer temps would help, but it looks like it only making matters worse. Some corn that was a lime color two days ago is turning to yellow and then to a brown. Never seen this before. Almost all the corn is forty shades of green...all in the same field...lots of nitrogen loss. Half the beans between Galesburg and Elmwood are not planted. Most of the beans planted just before the last monsoon are not coming up and they've been in the ground for two weeks. A decent looking bean field is a very rare exception and finding a field of healthy, green corn is almost as common as unicorns. WOW! It's only/already June 5th and this is where we are at?
- 6/5 - Floyd County, Iowa: Had another inch of rain overnight. Foggy and misty this morning. Crops around are maybe 10% look good, but small for June 5. 50% are fair to poor. All the rain over the last three haven’t helped, but many were planted in poor conditions. The last 40% isn’t planted yet. Prevent Planting looking like more of an option every day. We can plan for months about how and what we will do this growing season, but no matter how much we feel we are ahead of the situation, remember mother nature bats last.
- 6/5 - Northwest Sauk County, Wis.: Well just finished putting in the beans. Was done with corn the 22nd of May. Corn is all sprayed and time to clean things up now. I am very thankful to be done at this time compared to other producers.
- 6/5 - South Central Minnesota: Planting has become a salvage operation around here. A lot of corn is still not planted and very few beans. A few went out on Monday and made tracks all over trying to get something in before more rain. You don’t get bumper crops when planted in these conditions this late. Taking preventive planting for some means breaking even, for others it barely covers their cash rent, with nothing left for machinery payments and nitrogen already applied. This year looks like a year to minimize losses instead of maximize returns. Bankers will have to come up with some "creative" financing this fall, and there might be some bargains at the local "new paint" store.
- 6/5 - Polk County, Minn.: Finished corn planting on 29 May. First plantings now emerging. Been a cold, wet, late spring up here. Many fields not even touched yet. One day of 81 degrees in mid-May....been struggling to get above 70 since then. Fed crop coverage ended 31 May for planting corn here....97 million acres...I'll take that bet and raise you 144 bu/acre national average yield!!!
- 6/5 - Palo Alto County, Iowa: Can’t catch a break. Got another 1.5 inches on our waterlogged soil. Corn that was planted the 15th & 16th of May (the last day we were in the field) is about a 60% stand because of dampening off. I would say around 35% of the corn in our area was planted on those days and will need replanting. The remaining corn acres in the area will now be beans if we can ever get those in. Never seen a prevent plant field around here let alone heard of one. Can’t wait until New Year’s when it’s all over. Count your blessings when you have them.
- 6/5 - McDonough County, Ill.: 16+"rain since April 1. Planted corn May 17, 18, 19, 20. The crop planted on the 17th and 18th survived. We had 7 days in a row rain 5-25 to 5-31 (5.3"). May 19 and 20 planting will require minimum 50% replant but when? No soybeans planted, though considering recent rain, might be better still in bag and not rotting in saturated soil. Still have clean-up in river bottom. Have to agree with Iowa farmer, Mother Nature certainly has taken a lot of the fun out of it!
- 6/5 - Northeast North Dakota: Raining again here today and tonight looks like could get from 1/2 to 1 inch. Land is so saturated it’s going to take a few days before we can start in the field. We're about 15 percent planted and will be lucky to get 40 percent planted. I would bet there is no more than 25 percent planted in the area and a lot of it has been mudded in. I have hard time believing the acres planted for the state for wheat and a lot of the crops. Whole northern tier of ND has very little planted as well as rest of state has lots of acres to go. I think the pp acres are going to staggering here in ND and also for number of other states that are wet. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/5 - Manitowoc, Wis.: I finished planting today. What is up looks pretty good.
- 6/5 - Wayne, Ohio: We had 1 inch of rain over the weekend. Corn is nearly all planted and looks pretty good. Soybeans are emerging really uneven. Soil moisture is really on dry side could use 2 to 3 inches of rain.
- 6/5 - Martin County, Minn.: Corn planted May 10 to 15 looks good. Finished beans June 3. From farmers almanac: wet cold summer sure looks like it now. Hope corn tassels by Aug. 1.
- 6/5 - Towner County, N.D.: No one has more than 50% of their crop seeded in this area. Average in south end of county is maybe 30%. Lot of farmers in north end of the county hasn’t turned a wheel. Raining now and will be at least 7 June before we get back to it.
- 6/5 - Western Walsh County, northeast North Dakota: As of the evening of May 29 we were at 31% seeded on our farm. Haven't done a thing since, and rain showers came again today. A crop progress report said spring wheat is 62% seeded in ND. From what I've seen around the state, that is s stretch. We will keep planting until June 16-17 with sunflowers and edible beans, maybe some barley. What was a late spring is now very serious. Not good. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/5 - Grundy County, Iowa: Most corn planted, some soybeans, seed corn growers are struggling, heard some talk of seed corn fields being abandoned because growers are unable to get male corn or female corn in. Need heat and sun for hay and pasture to get growing.
- 6/5 - Texas: Recent hail storms in the Northern Plains were the final straw for much of the wheat there, but many areas still have the chance to make decent yields, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist. "We had a lot challenges in the wheat crop this year," said Dr. Travis Miller, AgriLife Extension agronomist and Texas A&M University soil and crop sciences associate department head.
First there was drought in much of the state, which slowed or stymied germination, and had more impact than anything else, Miller said. Then, on top of the drought, there were six recorded freeze events between March 25 and May 3 in the Panhandle. The eastern part of the state had two major freeze events in some locations.
"But the last nail in the coffin for much of it have been hail storms," he said. "There have been two major hail storms across the Northern Plains just this last week, and they caused a lot of damage on wheat that might have survived the freezes." (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
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Despite drought, freeze and hailstorms, some areas still managed to harvest wheat for grain. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Blair Fannin)
(Have any photos of the crops on your farm? E-mail (CropComments@agweb.com) them to AgWeb and have them posted on Crop Comments! Be sure to include a caption.)
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- 6/5 - Winona, Minn.: Lots of rain, can't plant corn or soybeans.
- 6/4 - Steele County, Minn.: Called insurance agent yesterday to take prevent plant on corn. Corn that is planted has very poor stand. No beans planted yet. Tried to work ground yesterday and got Quadtrack stuck. What a mess! Never did that before! Raining again this morning. Very depressing.
- 6/4 - Ottawa County, Mich.: Early planted corn & soys look ok. Many area livestock farms have very little corn planted as they were delayed in spreading manure, very wet!
- 6/4 - Appanoose County, Iowa: I love how the planting reports come out and magically report all these acres in Iowa and up north are in. All I hear about is guys up north struggling to get earlier maturity corn and that maybe half is in. I know a lot of stands down here won't make it with heavy rains we have had right after planting. Be interesting to see how they keep manipulating markets this year. About sick of these bogus reports.
- 6/4 - Cheyenne County, Neb.: The rain last week had lots of hard water (hail) in it. All fields damaged to one extent or another. 180 acres totally destroyed, with more to be determined this week. Most of the hail SW of Sidney but there are reports of total crop destruction from NE of town.
- 6/4 - West central Minnesota: Mudding in the last of our 1500 acrs of beans. Still a fair amount of beans to be planted in the area. Rain moving in now.
- 6/4 - Monroe County, Wis.: Just finished planting corn. Glad to be done. Good luck to all who are still at it.
- 6/3 - Southern Knox County, Ill.: Corn is not growing like it should be. Soybeans are barely half planted and only maybe 20% have emerged and some of them look rough. Went a long bike ride yesterday through Knox, Warren and Peoria counties and a sickening sight. Big water holes everywhere. So much rain has killed a lot of planted beans in waterlogged soils. Never seen this before in 40 years of farming. From what I saw yesterday, a lot of bean fields are going to have to be replanted. All the creek and river bottoms are a complete mess. This crop is not off to a good start and nobody around these parts is looking for a bumper crop. Can't wait until USDA starts reporting on crop conditions. I've seen hundreds of cornfields and I'll bet I could count on one hand those that have full stands and a good deep green color.
- 6/3 - Winneshiek County, Iowa: After the worst drought in 60 years, we are now dealing with the wettest Iowa spring since the 1890's. I am taking prevented planting on 25% of my corn acres and hope to start planting beans around the wet spots this week. Sure takes the fun out of it.
- 6/3 - Washington County, Minn.: Poplar Hill Dairy Goat Farm is planting 80 acres of corn this year, 2013. As of June 2 @ 9:00 pm, we have 36 acres planted (46%). We have none of our 20 acres of soybeans planted.
- 6/3 - Polk County (central), Iowa: Nobody has been in the field for over three weeks due to constant rains. Approx 90% of the corn had been planted in this area as of June 2. Most corn is 3-4 inches tall but pale and water logged. Maybe 25% of the beans are in and some has emerged in the mud. It will take a week of warm sunshine with wind before venturing into the field, but forecasts call for cool temps (low 50s at night), clouds and 50-60% rain chances in two days. One has to wonder how accurate UDSA's crop projections will turn out to be.
- 6/3 - LaMoure County, N.D.: We are about 50% planted for soys. Corn is looking very good.
- 6/3 - Freeborn County, Minn.: Just don't know what to do, but I might go with prevent plant. Don't like it but have to look out for bottom line. To many fields that very high clay content that help out last year got me this year! Just wish the people that need this rain could get some as we have more than is needed for now (4/1-5/31 18+")
- 6/3 - Lincoln County, Wis.: Very wet here, about 50% of corn is in, maybe 20% of beans. Many fields in our area have not even been worked this spring yet due to water standing and muddy conditions. Lots of winterkill on alfalfa fields, yields are sure to be affected if it dries enough to allow us to get on the hay fields.
- 6/3 - Buffalo County, Neb.: We have received 2.7 inches of much needed rain in the last week. Pastures are greening nicely now. However, they are filled with weeds in many areas, so I am not sure how productive they will be. With the amount of wind that we constantly have, the rains will need to be timely to have a good season. I will turn cattle out this next week, with much reduced numbers in all pastures. Crops are all emerged, but growth is slowed by the continuing variable weather, and by the hail that fell with one of the rains. Good luck to all! Pray for the tornado victims everywhere.
- 6/3 - Canton, Ill.: Planting soybeans east of Canton IL. on May 19, 2013. We rebuilt this planter this spring and seems to be working great. Video courtesy of at5488’s YouTube channel.
- 6/3 - Hamilton County, Ohio: Our soybeans began emerging this week.
- 6/3 - Ramsey County, N.D.: Very slow planting and now 2" more of rain. 10 year average of 3,000 acres of corn, 900 seeded in very wet conditions this year this will be 100% planted. Wheat, barley, and canola about the same % seeded and will continue for a week but doubt if we can get to 50%. Will start soybeans and can plant for about 2 weeks, still hope to get normal acres of beans planted. Will be record PP acres. (Read more wheat-related comments at AgWeb's www.VirtualWheatTour.com)
- 6/3 - Central Missouri: Finally some sunshine after 2 days of 5.5 inches of rain.
- 6/3 - Olmsted County, Minn.: I have planted 200 out of 1400 acres. What is up does not look good. We had more rain last night.
- 6/3 - Terrell County, Ga.: After mudding in corn three weeks late and receiving heavy rain in February/March/April we can't buy a rain now. Went from wet to dry real fast in southwest Georgia.
- 6/3 - Wisconsin: Mother Nature -- she is the QUEEN?
- 6/3 - Central Texas: Things look good.
- 6/3 - Western Wallace County, Kan.: We had 1.25" rain the first few days of May and that has been it with the exception of 0.20" a week ago. There is minimal topsoil moisture to about 1'. Corn and milo planted is germinating but won't last long without much additional moisture. NOAA say we need 8-9" of rain to get to a normal condition. As we get most of our average rain during April, May and June, the chances of that are remote. Buffalo grass native pastures look as though they are dead in some areas. The day before yesterday was extremely bad as we had 40-50mph winds. There was 2-3" rain during that storm 50-60 miles east of here.
