Harvest
Yield monitors are telling one story this fall. Settlement sheets are telling another, reports Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.
Strategic equipment management is one valuable way to protect soil structure and preserve yield potential when wet conditions force tough decisions.
Kernels left behind in fields this fall could become a 22% yield loss in your soybeans next year. But fixing the problem starts with the right diagnosis, says one seasoned farmer.
Record rain from a historic El Niño has stalled harvest from Nebraska to Ohio. Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass explains what it means for yield, when a harvest window may open and what to expect this winter.
Grain quality problems are raising red flags in parts of the Corn Belt. Timing a call to your insurance agent could be just as important as timing your harvest this year.
Ken Ferrie walks through the problems plaguing this year’s corn crop and shares his strategy for salvaging yield and protecting grain quality in storage.
Iowa State’s Meaghan Anderson walks central Iowa cornfields turning up a resurgence of crown rot after years of drought, plus wildly variable stands from early-season rain. Is a big Iowa corn crop still in reach?
Record heat, a rare Pacific hurricane triplet, and a wobbly South American monsoon are the latest signs of a historic El Niño, and Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass says it’s about to squeeze this fall’s harvest window, too.
After years of dry falls, a historic El Niño could cut U.S. farmers’ fall field-workable days by 20%, Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass warns, while drying delays and flat acreage threaten Brazil and Argentina’s 2026-2027 crop.
What started as a simple way to spot my husband behind the wheel has evolved into a noisy, three-honk love language.
An intense burst of Arctic air is set to sweep across the U.S., Meteorologist Drew Lerner explains how drought and dry soils will amplify the cold and why this pattern could persist through the rest of winter.
Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe says a strong ridge is keeping much of the U.S. warm and dry through mid-November, extending drought across key farm regions, but a pattern shift may bring some relief, and possibly even snow.
Mike Madsen’s corn yields at harvest are 20 to 30 bushels over his actual production history (APH), with even the early maturities exceeding expectations.
Minnesota farmers are hauling in what could be record corn and soybean yields, but low prices and tight storage are squeezing profits. Experts reveal what it means for farm income and strategy in 2025.
The impact of disease and dry conditions are becoming increasingly evident as combines roll. More than 70% of farmers report steady or lower yields in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Matt Splitter says he has harvested more corn in the past 10 days than he did during the last two seasons combined. But he says two straight years of drought and high input costs could keep him and other farmers in the state from reaching financial wholeness.
After a season that started strong and steady, Iowa farmers are facing disappointing corn yields as southern rust and heavy summer rains take a bite out of what could have been record crops.
David Hula, the reigning world-record corn grower, says residue management at harvest sets the stage for uniform emergence next season. The combine itself is a yield-building machine when used strategically.
If heavy residue isn’t managed at harvest, it sets off a chain reaction that can result in uneven plant development and ultimately lost yield potential in 2026.
Recent rains may have been too little, too late for the U.S. corn and soybean crops. Drought continues to deepen, and the forecast over the next two weeks points to favorable harvest weather, but it won’t help the drought situation.
All it takes to spark a flame sometimes is a single high-temperature source in the engine area or an overheated bearing that ignites some dry plant material. Take control of the situation in advance by having a brief plan ready to implement. Communicate it to your family and employees.
The challenge of harvesting high moisture and high disease pressure corn is not one that all farmers have faced in their lifetimes. Here’s some quick pointers to keep in mind as you tackle a tough crop to harvest and store.
Tom Ritter was just weeks away from his 51st harvest, but an everyday task on the farm of cleaning out a grain bin with a vac turned fatal as a shelf of corn caved in on him in the bin.
Agronomic specialists are encouraging farmers to make their corn harvest plans now, prioritizing which fields to combine first and so forth. Evaluating how well the crop is standing on a field by field basis can help you plan the process and minimize having to pick up down corn.
High disease pressure and moisture variability could make for a tricky fall harvest season in the Midwest. Lean on these crucial combine settings adjustments to help you hang onto as many kernels as possible.
The onset of drought and disease are causing growing concerns about the size of the U.S. corn and soybean crops this year. Analysts caution while the crops may be going backward in terms of yield, it’s possible USDA actually raises its yield estimates in the September report.
Go over these helpful pointers if you’re planning to build new grain bins or expand your current storage setup in 2025.