Crop Watch 2025: Corn Yield Threats
Several threats are impacting corn yields this season, including overly tight tassel wrap, Southern Rust and tar spot.
Unscripted: ‘Overly Tight Tassel Wrap’ Affecting Pollination?
Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal field agronomist, joins Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths to shed light on crop conditions, particularly pollination issues.
Crop Condition News
We have gradually resigned ourselves to Brazil being the leader, but last year they also took the top spot for corn exports, a tougher fact to swallow. There is more going on for the 2023-2024 growing season in Brazil.
Here’s a list of tweets from the 2023 Pro Farmer Crop Tour that showcase how scouts kept things “interesting” on the road this year.
One idea that has gained traction is USDA surveys may not be as accurate as current technology, especially satellite imagery, especially since the number of satellites has ballooned and the price has dropped.
Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa corn projections fall below USDA’s August estimates. Soybeans are on par in all scouted states, including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and South Dakota.
Scouts share their boots-on-the-ground observations on the eastern and western legs of the tour.
Lack of moisture and high-heat days have Iowa locals concerned about cannibalized stalks, while Illinois considers impacts of wildfire smoke and overnight temps.
Sudden death or their time to go? Soybeans dry up in Iowa as Minnesota corn faces burn up to the first leaf below ears.
This time last year, more than 36% of South Dakota was covered in drought. This year, that number dropped to 14%. Dry conditions did improve in the east, but some fear early season dryness could play out in coming weeks.
As scouts made their way through eastern Nebraska, the state’s extreme-to-exceptional drought conditions (15%) were obvious in corn. Scouts on the eastern leg saw more of a mixed bag for corn, including disease.
A fast-moving storm flattened crops on June 29, but the rain gave much needed relief to area crops and hope to farmers struggling to stay optimistic. Pro Farmer Crop Tour provides insights on how those crops look now.