Corn
Corn prices fell more than 30 cents on Friday, a change from the rapid run-up in prices the past two weeks, but even with chances of rain across the northern Corn Belt, drought continues to eat away at crop conditions.
An intrepid Kansas mother and her Johnny-on-the-spot son found one of the most stunning Indian artifacts of recent history. Welcome to the impossible tale of the Oehm Blade.
Farmers in Iowa are trying to stay optimistic but say the next two weeks are critical for getting some rain or they’ll be seeing significant yield loss.
Illinois crop ratings have dropped like a rock with only 33% of soybeans and 36% of corn rated good to excellent in this week’s USDA crop progress report.
Many Midwest farmers are seeing their corn crop struggle from compaction, nutrient deficiencies and herbicide carryover. Some of these issues can be addressed yet this season.
November soybeans shot up $1 in just two days. The December corn contract skyrocketed 50 cents during the time. Drought and dryness concerns are fueling the grain markets, is it only weather impacting prices?
Weather conditions at planting, herbicide damage, insects and poor closure of the furrow are just a handful of the factors that can hinder corn emergence success.
The new technology is designed to improve seedling vigor, boost root biomass and contribute to yield increases – up to 15% in corn and 12% in soybeans. It will be commercially available starting in 2024.
Dry conditions in some parts of the Midwest are putting a strain on yield potential early this season. But some stands are thriving. Practices such as continuous covers and no-till are making the difference.
Several factors converge making corn rootworm, black cutworm and true armyworm a high concern this season.
Last week, 34% of the U.S. corn crop was covered in drought, and this week it jumped to 45%. The second crop conditions ratings of the season from USDA-NASS confirmed dryness is starting to deteriorate crop conditions.
A concentration of smoke over a period of several weeks could contribute to lower temperatures and fewer growing degree units for row crops because of reduced solar radiation.
With more than 90% of the corn crop now planted and growing in 12 key states, it’s time to look for evidence of Pythium, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia. They’re often overlooked because they work underground to steal yield.
Much of the eastern Corn Belt is currently experiencing drought. Dry conditions have been parked in the western region even longer. Low subsoil moisture is a concern, and short-term dryness is compounding the issue.
Ken Ferrie is seeing potassium deficiency in corn this season because of dry soil conditions. It’s easy to confuse with a nitrogen deficiency and even the carbon penalty and ugly corn syndrome.
It was blood bath in the grain markets with soybeans hitting multi-year lows to start the week, but growing drought concerns then sent markets higher. Dan Basse and Ben Brown explain what the trade is now watching.
If you’re aiming for a 200-bu. corn crop this season, be aware it will need at least 34 pounds of sulfur per acre.
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.