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
USDA’s weekly Crop Progress Report shows the U.S. corn crop is rated 64% good to excellent, the same as a week ago but off by 7 percentage points versus 2020. Soybean ratings nationally declined, but only by 1 point.
Wet weather forecasts across the Midwest caused commodity prices to tank Tuesday, with soybean oil and corn hitting the daily limits lower. Much of the Midwest is forecast to receive rain at key pollination time.
Rains continue to fall across portions of the Midwest this week, a sign one ag meteorologist says could mean Midwestern drought conditions have peaked. However, the news isn’t as promising for the northern Corn Belt.
Areas of the Corn Belt in need of moisture are finally seeing rain this week, but it came with severe crop damage to portions of Iowa after hail wiped out some farm fields this week.
The frigid air that blew through the northern Corn Belt last weekend left its mark on corn and soybean fields. From burnt leaf tissue to blotchy, curled leaves, Missy Bauer shares these tips to evaluate frost damage.
The Kansas Wheat Quality Council’s 2021 winter wheat tour wrapped up after making it’s way across the state. And the 2021 yield potential is high. Scouts uncovered the highest tour average on record going back to 2000.
Gated tile systems can help deal with troublesome issues.
Nationwide, USDA shows 72% of the corn crop is rated good to excellent, which is a 4 percentage point drop from last week. This week’s rating is also 3 points behind last year.
Drought conditions have lessened a bit in portions of North Dakota thanks to some rain, but frigid temperatures late last week and into the weekend also took its toll on crops across the upper Midwest.
The dire drought situation is one USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey thinks could last through at least the remainder of 2021. Forecasts also point to a drier weather pattern returning for Texas and the Plains.