Corn
Farmers finding dead corn plants in their fields are texting pictures to Ken Ferrie, asking for help. Some of the culprits he’s found include wireworm, the carbon penalty, rootless corn syndrome and herbicide carryover.
A quick planting pace and the possible return of El Nino meant traders have not been focusing on any weather issues. However, with drought continuing to expand, a U.S. weather market might be back in play.
Reclaim is designed to help soils warm up faster, resulting in more uniform seed emergence and better plant stands.
Watch the 1-minute video by Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie and his agronomic team, showing how residue can be sized to protect soil surfaces to minimize dust and potential erosion.
Illinois’ Jack Shissler hit major dryland corn yields in 2022: “Boiled down, my yields were about choosing the right variety and applying fungicide. Variety and fungicide—that’s where it was at.”
Similarly, Ken Ferrie says to time your post-herbicide application in corn based on weed size and to address cutworm based on the level of damage you find. One pass in the field could work for both, but don’t bet on it.
It may seem like years ago, but it was just this past June when farmers reported selling $8 cash corn and $18 cash soybeans. Today, cash prices look much different–hovering around $5.50 for corn and $13 for soybeans.
A perfect stand sets the stage for high ear count at harvest. But what if, despite your best efforts, a stand starts out troubled?
Farmers made significant headway in planting progress last week. USDA shows nearly half of the country’s corn crop is planted and 35% of the soybean crop is now in the ground. There are several states setting records.
Agronomists are reporting high numbers of black cutworm and true armyworm moths in pheromone traps. Their offspring, the larvae, can do serious harm to corn. So can the offspring of four other common moth species.
The change will not impact how farmers work with their current seed salesman in 2023, a Bayer spokesman tells Farm Journal. However, a different go-to-market approach is in the works.
Soil conditions, temperatures and weather outlook are aligned. “Let the big dogs run, and keep the planters running until you’re finished,” says Ken Ferrie. “This corn will fly out of the ground.”
Farmers in some states can expect BCW damage in corn by mid-May. One larva can ruin five corn plants in a 24-hour period. Rescue treatments are most effective and economical -- not seed treatments or Bt hybrids.
China canceled more corn purchases this past week. As the country switches to cheaper sources from places such as Brazil, it puts more focus on a possible demand problem in the U.S. and causing beginning stocks to swell.
Modern, high-tech planters can produce “picket fence” stands of corn with seedlings so uniform they look like they’ve been photocopied. But does precise planting pay?
For a developed country as large as the US, we are almost unique in our lack of robust rail capabilities. John Phipps answers a viewer’s question about the possibility of updating the rail system to move grain faster.
True armyworm (not to be confused with fall armyworm) is moving into Midwest wheat and corn crops now. Many are newcomers from the South, but homegrown populations are also concerning in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
Grain and oilseed prices took a tumble the second half of this week. As commodity prices fall, and planting picks up pace, veteran analysts explore the outlook for commodity prices in the months ahead.
Both crops get a green light for planting this Wednesday and maybe even for Tuesday in central Illinois. Ferrie says let soil conditions, moisture and local weather forecasts drive your planting and tillage decisions.
Cutworm and armyworm moths are on the move, looking to lay eggs. Wireworms, grubs, flea beetles, gophers and voles are also looking to take up residence in your fields. Act now to stop them.
USDA’s reports showed some surprises last week, including tighter than expected stocks. If China continues to buy corn, analysts say it creates even tighter old crop stocks, but if China quits buying, prices could drop.
Farmers in Iowa and parts of Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and South Dakota are in the “red zone” for CRW pressure this season.
USDA’s 2023 Prospective Plantings report released March 31 shows farmers intend to plant significantly more corn acres in 2023. At nearly 92 million acres, that’s a jump of 3.42 million acres from last year.
More ears at harvest is the key to higher yield. That requires starting with a picket-fence stand with photocopied plants, achieved by adjusting your planter as conditions change from field to field and within fields.
Corn yield results not from the number of plants in a field but rather the number of ears. Commit to season-long scouting and consider these tips for evaluating ear development.
Kevin McNew says the company’s survey of 2,000-plus growers shows they will plant 92.5 million acres of corn and 84.5 million acres of soybeans. Both estimates are counter to what USDA projected in February.
China continued to buy U.S. corn this week, and analysts say China may not be finished, especially if prices dip, and China sees it as an opportunity to buy more.
Caution can help you avoid creating compaction or density layers. Plus, if you’re applying anhydrous now, allowing 14 days between the application and planting can prevent dead or damaged plants and costly yield dings.
Sluggish corn demand in the U.S. has been the concern for months. This past week, demand got a big boost, with USDA reporting daily flash sales from China. Since March 9, those sales total 83.1 million bushels.
The company, known for its extensive work in soybeans, formally moves into the corn marketplace with its introduction of Maverick herbicide, now available for use this season.