Harvest

Three Honks to Say “I Love You”

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:44:11 GMT

It started during harvest season a few years ago. My husband, Brett, was driving the grain truck to the local co-op, and from our rented house not far off the main road, I would watch truck after truck roll by my office window to unload their grain for the season.

I knew which trucks belonged to us — the faded blue one with the busted radio, the red-and-white one sporting the newer logo and the red-and-black semi, my personal favorite. But while I watched our trucks roll by, I couldn’t always tell who was behind the wheel. Was it Brett? My father-in-law? My brother-in-law? I was nosy and wanted to keep tabs on who was driving what.

Finally, curiosity got the best of me. One night after a long day of combining and driving trucks, I asked my husband, “How many loads did you take in today?”

In-between bites of whatever late-night dinner I flung together, he gave me his answer, then asked, “Didn’t you see me?”

Nope, not from that distance. Even with 20/20 vision and a keen eye, there was no way to tell who was behind the wheel when they were flying past at 55 mph.

The next day, I watched the road again as the trucks made their rounds. First the blue one passed, then a while later the red. Finally, the semi came around the bend on its way to town with the first load of the day. This time, though, the driver honked three times, and I found myself wondering what that was about.

A little later, I got a text from Brett while he was waiting in the grain line: “Did you see me go by with the semi? I honked three times. I said I love you.”

Our Own Little Love Language

Our poor neighbors must have been sick of the trucks rolling by that fall, especially once the “three honks” tradition began. No matter which truck came down the road, I always knew when Brett was behind the wheel because a distinctive “Honk! Honk! HONKKKK!” would ring out across County Road R.

We’ve since moved to the farm, and our house is no longer on the path to the co-op. During our first fall at the new address, I mentioned how I missed hearing those three beeps go off throughout the day. Brett cracked a smile when I told him this, and mischievously said, “Challenge accepted.”

Now, I’ll hear those three blasts echo from a pickup, a tractor or whatever rig he’s driving that day, and I just smile. Those three honks have become our little ritual. It’s simple, it’s sweet and it’s probably annoying to everyone else in the area, but it’s ours. And it’s a reminder that love doesn’t always need words, sometimes it just needs a truck rolling down the road and three short honks.

Arctic Blast to Bring Single-Digit Temps to Northern Plains, Freezes Deep into the South

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:59:12 GMT

A powerful burst of Arctic air is on the move, set to drive a dramatic temperature plunge across much of the U.S. this weekend into early next week. Meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. says this upcoming cold surge could deliver the most widespread chill of the season so far, and it’s being intensified by key factors: dry soils and dry air.

From Record Heat to Bitter Cold

Just days after record-breaking heat scorched the West , a sharp reversal is underway. A surge of frigid air straight from the Arctic is diving south, bringing widespread frost and freezing conditions well beyond the northern states.

According to Lerner: “Temperatures below freezing could stretch all the way down to the Delta,” with single-digit lows possible in parts of the northern Plains and teens across the upper Midwest.

“This is an air mass that’s coming straight from the Arctic,” Lerner explains. “And when that kind of air travels over dry land, especially with the drought conditions we have across the Plains and Canadian Prairies, there’s nothing to moderate it. The cold becomes even more intense.”

That blast will drop temperatures well below normal across the central and eastern U.S., with freezing temperatures stretching all the way down to the Delta by Monday morning.

(Drew Lerner )

Dry Soils Make Cold Air Colder

The ongoing drought, reflected in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor , is playing a major role in how extreme the cold feels. Without moisture in the soil or atmosphere to absorb and hold heat, temperatures swing dramatically — soaring well above normal ahead of a front, then crashing well below normal once Arctic air settles in.

“The dry bias we have right now isn’t going to change when that cold air arrives,” Lerner notes. “So we’re going to see temperatures just plummet.”

That means agriculture producers, particularly in the Southern and Eastern states, need to be on alert. Lerner expects frost and freezes to reach as far east as the Carolinas and Georgia, potentially stressing late-season crops and winter wheat stands that haven’t fully hardened off.

While this particular cold surge may only last a few days, Lerner says it’s part of a larger pattern that will repeat through winter — alternating bursts of warmth and cold, driven by La Niña and jet stream fluctuations.

(Drew Lerner )

A Pattern That Could Repeat

While this cold snap will be short-lived, Lerner warns it’s likely a preview of what’s to come this winter. He expects the pattern of alternating warm and cold spells to persist, driven by La Niña and the configuration of the jet stream.

“This is something we’re going to see periodically over the winter,” Lerner says. “We’ll get these big bursts of cold air into the eastern U.S., followed by warmer intervals that bring storminess to the Pacific Northwest and the central Rockies.”

Those intermittent storms might deliver some much-needed moisture to the upper Midwest, but much of the central and southwestern Plains is expected to remain drier than normal through at least early winter.

What Farmers Can Expect

Coldest Morning: Monday, with single digits in the northern Plains and lows near freezing across the Deep South.
Freeze Risk: Frost and light freezes likely as far east as the Carolinas and Georgia.
Moisture Outlook: Continued dryness in the central U.S. under La Niña.
Pattern Ahead: More frequent cold surges alternating with warm, stormy spells in the West.

Looking Ahead

Lerner suggests producers might need to wait until January or February before seeing any meaningful change in the moisture pattern. Until then, temperature swings will be the norm — and the upcoming Arctic outbreak will be a sharp reminder that winter is knocking at the door.

“I’m not ready for single digits either,” Lerner adds with a laugh.

Widespread Warmth, Lingering Drought Dominate Early November Outlook

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:54:00 GMT

It’s been an unusually warm start to November, a trend that’s gripping the West and preventing moisture from reaching areas that need it. But that trend could shift later in the month, at least in terms of temperatures.

Several parts of the U.S. experienced their warmest November days on record in 2025, including Denver, Colo., and Tucson, Ariz. Other locations like Goodland, Kan., Sidney, Neb., and La Junta, Colo., also set daily record highs. But just how high are we talking?

Denver : Broke its all-time record November high, reaching 83°F and significantly exceeding the previous record of 78°F
Tucson : Set a record for the hottest day of the year on Saturday with 88°F, then broke its own record the next day with 92°F
Cheyenne : Recorded its latest-ever 70°F
San Jose : Reached 80°F

Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe, of Brian Bledsoe Weather, says through the first half of November, he expects above-normal temperatures across the western two-thirds of the country, with the Southeast seeing slightly cooler conditions.

“The western two-thirds of the country are just going to be a blowtorch,” he says.

Not Good News for Chances of Rain

It’s not just the warmth, but also the lack of moisture in the forecast. Bledsoe says rain chances will stay limited for most regions, especially the Mid-Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast, where below-normal precipitation is likely. The Pacific Northwest and parts of the Northern Rockies are the exceptions, potentially seeing wetter-than-average conditions.

“We’re continuing to build on some of these dry areas that have expanded across much of the country,” Bledsoe says. “If you look at the current drought monitor, there’s still a good bit of the country suffering from drought.”

The most recent look at the U.S. Drought Monitor paints a troubling picture heading into winter.

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

He notes that drought persists in the Southwest, where the monsoon season failed to deliver consistent rainfall. Washington, Idaho, and northwest Montana are also struggling with dryness, while parts of the Corn Belt — and even sections of the Northeast — remain abnormally dry.

“Absolutely, we have areas we need to work on,” he says. “But the current pattern just isn’t conducive to big storms bringing widespread moisture.”

Ridge Holds Firm Across the West

Bledsoe explains a strong ridge of high pressure anchored over the interior West — covering Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico — is pushing most storm systems northward.

A look at how the warmth will shift in November.

(Brian Bledsoe )

“That ridge is basically diverting the storm track,” he says. “Meanwhile, farther east — across the eastern Great Lakes and into the far eastern Corn Belt — we’ll be under the influence of a trough of low pressure. That brings a few chances for colder air and maybe some brief moisture, but it’s not a setup for big storms.”

Pattern Shift Possible Later in November

There is some hope for change as the month progresses. Long-range European models show the upper-level ridge beginning to weaken, opening the door for a more active storm track.

“As that ridge gradually breaks down, we’ll start to see less of the drier-than-average pattern,” Bledsoe says. “Areas farther north will likely see moisture first, and then hopefully that extends farther south into the Plains.”

Precipitation outlook for the first half of November.

(Brian Bledsoe )

Snow in the Forecast?

While the heat was the headline to start November, and continues to be the case in the western U.S., there will be a blip of not just cooler air, but much colder air that could bring snow to the central and eastern parts of the country. But it won’t last long.

AccuWeather says you’ll need to brace for a big change this weekend and early next week in the central and eastern United States . AccuWeather meteorologists warn the weather pattern indicates a surge of cold air and at least one storm capable of producing a band of accumulating snow across parts of the Midwest, followed by lake-effect snow and perhaps a bit of snow in portions of the Appalachians to the south.

AccuWeather says cold air will fail to gain a lasting foothold for the remainder of this week, with significant temperature swings from one day to the next in the Midwest and Northeast.

(AccuWeather)

AccuWeather is calling it “Christmastime cold” that’s on the way.
Their meteorologists say a large push of cold air arrives this weekend, which will cause conditions to drastically change.

A significant dip in the jet stream is forecast to begin this weekend for the Central and Eastern states.

“Temperatures will feel more like mid-December or even Christmastime in many places by next week,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok says.

A storm is forecast to track along the boundary of the advancing cold air from this weekend in the Midwest to early next week in the Northeast.

(AccuWeather )

But the cold air will fail to gain a lasting foothold for the remainder of this week, with significant temperature swings from one day to the next in the Midwest and Northeast, according to AccuWeather.

It may be temporary, but the colder air will bring chances of accumulating snow in areas of the Midwest and the Appalachians that are farther south and rather low in elevation, according to AccuWeather. The storm is forecast to track along the boundary of the advancing cold air from this weekend in the Midwest to early next week in the Northeast.

“As we see it now, the most likely time for snow showers in Chicago that can bring a small accumulation is late Saturday night to Sunday morning,” Pastelok says. “Around Detroit the most likely timing for accumulating snow showers is from Sunday morning to Sunday midday.”

While an excessive accumulation of snow is not anticipated on the roads, AccuWeather says the snow can fall at a heavy enough rate near the Interstate 94 and 80/90 corridor to make for slushy conditions in some areas.

Harvest of a Lifetime: Farmer Sees Record Corn Yields in Southern Minnesota

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 01:43:52 GMT

In Southern Minnesota farmers are done with the soybean harvest and are quickly moving through corn with the help of Mother Nature.

While the corn crop in other areas of the Corn Belt has fallen short of the hype, that wasn’t the case for Mike Madsen of Heron Lake, who was in a garden spot. “We seen things we’ve never seen on yield monitors before,” he said.

This fall, Madsen is having the corn harvest of a lifetime. “It’ll be the best year in my career and I think in a lot of local farmers careers that have been farming for 30 or 40 years,” Madsen said.

Record Corn Yields Started at Planting

Madsen says it began this spring with one of the fastest planting seasons ever on his farm. “It was early and it was quick,” explains Madsen. “So, that just that’s how this yield thing started was with our early planting, especially in the corn.”

That lead to a perfect stand, followed by a nearly ideal agronomic growing season.

Perfect Growing Season

“We only dream of seasons like this where you get a shot of rain every four to five days,” adds Madsen. “That pretty much held true from planting through corn pollination.”

Madsen says the corn also escaped the hot nighttime temperatures during pollination and fill that hurt test weights and yields in other areas of the Corn Belt.

“Our nighttime temperatures are what I think brings on a lot of this yield,” said Madsen. “We were under that 70 degree mark all but a couple nights in August.”

Corn Dodged Disease Pressure

Southern Minnesota farmers were also able to dodge some of the heavy disease pressure in corn like Southern Rust thanks to the added protection of fungicides.

“The early sprayed corn is [seeing] a 10 to 20 bushel increase,” explains Madsen. “If you sprayed later then there is an even better return. There’s been some talk of a 30 to 70 bushel increase from spraying fungicide this year.”

Record Corn Yields at 250 Plus

Madsen’s corn yields at harvest are 20 to 30 bushels over his Actual Production History or APH, with even the early maturities exceeding expectations.

“Our 100 day and under was running 220 to 240,” counts Madsen. “As we get into harvest, now we’re into our later corn, which is anywhere from 100 to even up to 110 day maturity. We’re seeing 250 bushels plus.”

So, 2025 will go down in history as a record corn yield on the Madsen farm. And with those kind of results across the lower third of the state, he thinks Minnesota’s statewide corn yield could even top Iowa and Illinois this year.

Corn is Dry

Early corn was also dry at 15% to 16% moisture, the later corn is a bit wetter but it will save him on drying costs.
“The 100 to 110 days are between 17% and 18%,” Madsen said. “We can manage that in the grain bins with some air on it.” Which is good as he’s storing most of his corn and soybean crop this fall due to the low prices.

Soybean Yields Disappointing

Madsen’s soybean harvest was done on October 9. He says his crop missed key August rains and saw early disease pressure from white mold tied to early planting. While bean yields were well above average in his area, they were disappointing on his farm.

“Yields were around 60 bushels per acre and we were a little bit under that and so it wasn’t a total train wreck,” said Madsen. “It was way better than last year so we’ll take it.”

$9 Soybeans, Record Yields, Rising Costs: Minnesota Farmers Brace for Another Year of Tight Margins

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 20:16:02 GMT

As harvest rolls across Minnesota, farmers are seeing strong yields in both corn and soybeans. But those big harvests come with an old problem — low prices and limited storage. During a recent University of Minnesota U.S. Farm Report College Roadshow stop in Minneapolis, experts Ed Usset, grain marketing specialist, and Pauline Van Nurden, Extension economist with the university’s Center for Farm Financial Management, break down what this means for farm profitability heading into 2025.

Soybean Storage Challenges — and the Corn Problem Coming Next

The conversation began with a topic dominating coffee shops and grain elevators across the Midwest: soybean storage. Reports earlier in the season hinted at a “soybean pileup,” with the governor even joking farmers might have to start putting soybeans in their garages.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz warned trade war-related tariffs and a record harvest meant “there’s going to be soybeans in garages, on the streets, wherever we can put them because there’s nowhere to go”. He specifically blamed President Donald Trump’s trade policies for creating “a man-made farm crisis” that has financially harmed Minnesota farmers.

However, Usset says farmers did find room for the crop.

“Well, I’m kind of surprised,” Usset says. “A couple of weeks ago, I really was concerned that we wouldn’t find a home for all the soybeans. But I’m talking to people in the country — they found a place for them. They’re in storage. They’re holding out.”

While the majority of Minnesota farmers have found a home for their soybeans this fall, futures prices are about the same as this point last year, however, it’s cash prices in the upper Midwest that are suffering.

“Prices are not good. Probably around $9.25 a bushel in much of southern Minnesota,” he explains. “But we found room for the soybeans. The problem, I think, is going to be in the next couple of weeks because a lot of space was dedicated to soybeans. Where does the corn go? We’re gonna have corn piles.”

Record Yields Add to the Surplus

Despite the logistical headaches, Minnesota farmers are seeing some of their best yields in years.

“I think we’re seeing good yields in soybeans,” Usset says. “There’s a good chance in Minnesota we’ll set a state record for average soybean yields. Not by a lot — you know, 52 bushels [per acre] is our record. I like to think we have a shot at 53 for a state average.”

Corn yields are also impressive.

“We have an outside shot to top 200 bushels an acre for the state,” Usset adds.

Those high yields, however, come at a time when input costs remain elevated and prices have failed to rebound.

A Difficult Year for Farm Income

According to Van Nurden, Minnesota farmers are still feeling the financial strain from last year— the lowest farm income in two decades.

“Unfortunately for crop farmers, it looks like more of the same,” she says. “Low prices, even with the better yields, but input costs are up.”

This situation isn’t new for Minnesota farmers. Even though China has backed off from buying U.S. soybeans, farmers also faced low-to-negative farm incomes last year. According to University of Minnesota analysis , Minnesota farm incomes declined again in 2024, falling to the lowest level this century.

In the data from the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State, it showed the median net farm income for Minnesota farms dropped to $21,964 in 2024, marking the lowest level this century. The drop was due to falling crop prices, coupled with below-trendline crop yields.

Van Nurden notes some relief came at the end of the year from the ECAP payments that had been issued.

“That payment was helpful — it provided some cash. But we actually included that income in last year’s numbers on the balance sheet as an accounts receivable,” she explains. “So it looks to be another challenging year for crop producers, with losses per acre on corn and soybean production.”

Payments Help, But “They’re Just a Band-Aid”

The conversation turned to the ongoing debate over government support payments for farmers, especially as uncertainty continues around trade policy and federal budgets.

“Something’s needed,” Van Nurden says. “I know farmers would rather be able to sell their crop at a profitable price and not receive payments, of course. Payments are a band-aid. Hopefully we can find new solutions to help replace markets, find new markets, all of that. But payments would be helpful at this challenging time.”

Trade Tensions Still Haunting Soybean Markets

For soybean growers, the trade relationship with China continues to cast a long shadow. Reports this week suggest China is intentionally avoiding purchases of U.S. soybeans — an echo of the trade war that hit markets hard in 2018 and 2019.

When asked whether that business might be lost for good, Usset says that’s a tough question.

“We had a trade war in 2018, 2019. We got by it, got a change in administration, and we got the sales back. I guess if I want to be hopeful, we can hope it comes back again,” Usset says.

Cutting Costs — One Small Step at a Time

Looking ahead to 2026, both experts agree managing costs will be critical as input prices continue to rise. Van Nurden says farmers are focusing on the small things.

“It’s probably little things across the board — trying to make smart decisions, manage the inputs where they can,” she says. “I don’t know that it’s going to be one place. I think it’s going to be lots of little places and just trying to manage and be very intentional about inputs and deferring repairs at times, potentially, and new investments.”

But she cautiones cost-cutting comes with long-term consequences.

“That has ramifications as well,” she says. “So it’s a balance.”

Market Opportunities — and a Ray of Hope

Even in a tough price environment, Usset says there are opportunities for farmers willing to look ahead.

“Look at the big carries in the market,” he advises. “Today’s price is really terrible — pretty much as low as it’s been in the last year. But in the corn market, for example, if you looked for delivery in April or May, you’ve got a 35¢ to 40¢ premium. You’ve got a 50¢ premium to hang onto your soybeans out into the spring.”

He says similar opportunities exist for wheat.

“No one wants to talk about spring wheat,” Usset says. “But if you’ll hold out to January, you can get a 50¢ premium for wheat — 50¢ for three months. That’s how big the carry is.”

Building Support and Planning Ahead

As the year winds down, Van Nurden encourages farmers to lean on their support systems.

“Take a look and push the pencil to your finances, talk to your lender, build that support,” she says. “There’s great collaboration between the university and the state of Minnesota with some of those programs, but there are resources out there to help. Always seek out the tools or the individuals that can help you.”

In the face of strong yields but shaky profitability, Minnesota farmers continue to show resilience and resourcefulness. As Usset put it, “It might not solve all the problems — but it’s a lot better than today’s price.”

Farm Journal Survey Signals 2025 National Corn Yield Could Fall Short of 2024

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:53:50 GMT

The government shutdown and resulting absence of data from USDA has left a void in the volatile grain and oilseed markets. To fill the gap, Farm Journal conducted a survey to get an update on yields and harvest progress as well as other important topics on producers’ minds.

Based on more than 1,100 qualified responses from across the U.S., the biggest takeaway is that corn yields are estimated to be down compared with USDA’s September estimates in six of the seven Pro Farmer Crop Tour states. Due to disease pressure and dryness, the 2025 national corn yield could be lower than the 2024 average of 179.3 bu.

(Farm Journal)

As of mid-October, yields are steady or lower for 74% of the respondents across the Crop Tour states, a far cry from higher production estimates for each state in USDA’s September Crop Production Report, says Lane Akre, Pro Farmer economist. Traders and analysts saw production falling from the September USDA estimate of 186.7 bu. per acre to 185 bu., according to a pre-report poll from Bloomberg in early October. If production does shrink, as the Farm Journal survey indicates, the national average yield could fall to 178.5 bu. per acre.

When compared to 2024, the Farm Journal survey shows the biggest yield decline in the “I” states:

Illinois at 7%
Indiana at 4.6%
Iowa at 3.2%

On the other hand, Minnesota at 3.8% and South Dakota at 3.3% are seeing yields come in higher than last season.

Soybean Harvest Progress Well Ahead of Corn
Corn harvest progress is on par with other private estimates at 43% on Oct. 15.

(Farm Journal)

Soybean harvest is well ahead at 79% due to dry conditions.

“While we aren’t getting the weekly crop progress reports, they are still calling and the analyst average this week was 60%,” Akre says.

(Farm Journal)

Storage Issues Especially Challenging in Northern Plains
Just over a third of all respondents in Farm Journal’s survey noted storage concerns as many producers are opting to store grain rather than take it to market. Storage issues are more prevalent in the northern Plains, with 56% of producers in South Dakota saying they are facing issues.

(Farm Journal)

With China absent from the export market and soybean yields strong, basis levels in the northwestern Corn Belt have widened to levels not seen since the 2018 trade war. Storage piles are already stacking up at local elevators.

“We’re just a week into harvest and already seeing more piles than we have seen in years past,” says Kevin Deinert, a farmer from Mount Vernon, S.D. “If you look at total production and total storage capacity, we’re going to exceed our storage capacity by a considerable amount.”

Typically, farmers in the Dakotas sell soybeans right off the combine, but this year many are holding onto their crop, hoping for better prices down the road.

“The basis on corn is not great either, but it’s exceptionally bad on soybeans,” explains Todd Hanten of Goodwin, S.D. “I’m going to store it all and try to capture some better basis in the future.”

David Struck, a farmer from Wolsey, S.D., is also storing beans with the hope come January and February, he’ll be able to move them and get a better price.

Based on CoBank estimates, the nation will be short 73 million bushels of upright grain storage this year, a dramatic shift from last year’s surplus.

“When you pull out to the 12 major corn-producing states, and that includes soybeans, we’re going to be short by about 1.4 billion bushels of storage capacity,” says Tanner Ehmke, CoBank’s grain and oilseeds economist. “Last year, we were long by about 360 million bushels.”

Farmers Still Support Tariffs
Despite the ongoing trade war with China, which has weighed heavily on row-crop prices, more than 60% of respondents say they support tariffs. Many are hopeful that aggressive trade policies will pay dividends once it is all said and done.

(Farm Journal)

Kansas Farmer Harvests Corn Yields 30%-Plus Above APH

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 22:01:50 GMT

For some Kansas corn growers like Matt Splitter yields are shaping up to be well above average this harvest, and maybe even a record – a welcomed change from the past two years, which were plagued by drought.

The central Kansas farmer says moisture at key times kept his corn crop growing early and then packing on test weight at the back end of the season. While he is grateful for the rains, he is ready for them to stop.

“We got another inch-and-a-half of rain, oh, two nights ago. So, we are picking around on some corn and trying not to get stuck,” says Splitter, a fifth-generation farmer based near Lyons.

After roughly 10 days of harvest, he estimates corn yields are coming in about 30% to 40% above his average production history (APH).

“Volume always wins,” Splitter says. “Prices are not great, but holy cow, we’ve cut more bushels in the first eight days of corn harvest than we probably have for the last two years combined because of drought.”

Despite the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Drought Monitor map and its associated products remain unaffected and will continue to be released on schedule, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.

(NDMC)

Record Harvest Projected For 10 States
The USDA September forecast for total corn production projects U.S. yields will come in about 13% above last year, with 10 states expected to see record numbers.

In Kansas, farmers are likely to harvest a yield range of 131 to 146 bushels on average, according to Greg Ibendahl, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University. He calculated the yield range in early September using U.S. Drought Monitor data.

Even with the extra bushels, Splitter is concerned they won’t be enough for him and other Kansas farmers to completely resolve financial shortfalls.

“If we’d have come into this year on an even keel, this season would’ve been a home run on volume, but I don’t know if it’s going to cause us to get whole again,” he says.

Splitter estimates he and other Kansas farmers would need double to two-and-a half-times the bushels he’s combining to regain their economic footing.

“Financially, there’s a lot of holes that people are going to have to dig themselves out of. And I just don’t think we can. I don’t think we can bushel all our way out of it,” he says.

(Photo: Nick Hemphill)

Is Financial Aid On The Way?
The Trump administration is said to be preparing an aid package that would provide financial relief to farmers. Dollar ranges from $10 billion to $15 billion have been reported.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Fox News that “We will be announcing a program as soon as the shutdown ends on what we’re going to do in the short term for these row croppers, including our soybean farmers.”

Brooke Rollins: "Farmers just want to sell their product. They don't want checks from the government. But until we get there with all these new trade deals opening up markets by the president, onshoring our food supply for health reasons but national security reasons -- we will… pic.twitter.com/d00bTL7h8h
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2025

More than 200 state and national agricultural organizations sent a letter to President Trump earlier this week, saying many farmers need help now. To view the letter and those who signed it click here .

Splitter, like most farmers, wants the marketplace to reward him and other farmers for yield results and not a financial bailout. He adds that if aid does come out at the end of 2025, it won’t do as much good if he has to pay a huge amount of taxes on the dollars.

“We’re making decisions now to create income or mitigate losses, you know. There has to be something put into place where I can roll some of this into 2026, if I need to,” he says.

Hear the conversation AgriTalk host Chip Flory had on Wednesday with Splitter and Chad Ingels, Iowa farmer and representative:

‘It’s Disappointing:’ Central Iowa Farmer Says Corn Yields Are 30 to 40 Bu. Per Acre Lower Than Last Year

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:24:15 GMT

What’s usually a rare sight this harvest season — a rain delay — briefly halted work for Ward and Bryant Hunter.

An inch of rain Sunday night was enough to pause the combines, but the father-son duo was soon back in the field, continuing a steady rhythm of harvest that’s been possible thanks to a remarkably dry fall.

“We started combining beans on Sept. 11 or 12,” says Ward Hunter. “We got started early, then had a week of rainy weather. And now the last 10 days or so we’ve been hard at it until the rain last night.”

When we visited the Hunters in the spring, dry weather pushed their Boone County farm to a record planting pace. Corn and soybeans both went in early, setting the stage for what looked like a blockbuster year. And while soybeans have lived up to expectations, the same can’t be said for corn.

“Beans — we have a lot of fields that are the best ever,” Ward says. “From mid-60s to mid-80s [bu. per acre], which is really good for this area. Corn, though, has been disappointing compared to what the beans were — real disappointing.”

Hunter says corn yields so far are averaging around 220 bu. per acre, roughly at their APH (actual production history). But that’s 30 bu. to 40 bu. below the past two years, when the farm hit the low 250s and 260s.

“Corn, though, has been disappointing compared to what the beans were — real disappointing.”

Ward Hunter, Farmer in Ogden, Iowa

The reason, Hunter says, is simple: southern rust.

“By June 15, we really thought we’d have the best year ever,” Ward says. “Then southern rust hit — as you’ve heard from everybody — a lot of southern rust. We also got about 30" of rain from July 1 through about Aug. 10. The disease was the big kicker.”

Had it not been for the fast-moving fungal disease, Ward believes their corn could have hit record levels — perhaps 270 bu. per acre in central Iowa.

“You’ll see yields in beans go from 40 in the wet spots to over 100 on the yield monitor.”

Ward Hunter, Farmer, Ogden, Iowa

His son, Bryant Hunter, remembers spotting the early signs as they were preparing to spray fungicide in mid-July.

“About the time we were getting ready to apply, we started seeing the rust,” Bryant says. “We were scouting to make sure it was the perfect time, and we caught it just as it was coming in.”

While the Hunters never skip a fungicide pass, Ward says those who tried to save on input costs this year likely paid the price.

“You only hear the horror stories, but some guys saw 50- or 60-bu. hits,” he says. “Some who did a second fungicide pass, even a generic one, saw another 20- or 30-bu. boost. This would’ve been the year to do two.”

As harvest continues, the Hunters expect about three more weeks in the field. The biggest takeaway this year? Extreme variability.

“You’ll see yields in beans go from 40 in the wet spots to over 100 on the yield monitor,” Ward says. “Corn will be the same way.”

Despite the disappointment in corn, soybeans have provided a bright spot — a rare balance in a year marked by weather extremes, crop disease and surprising outcomes.

“Soybean yields were a positive surprise,” Bryant says. “Corn yields were a negative one.”

For many Iowa farmers, that sums up 2025: a harvest of highs and lows, with southern rust turning what looked like a record-breaking season into a reminder that in farming, nothing is guaranteed.

The Secret to Planting Big Yields Next Spring May Be How You Manage Your Residue This Fall

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:02:42 GMT

While combines roll through fields across the Midwest, farmers have a unique opportunity to lay the groundwork for next season’s success.

“Harvest your crop, spread residue — and most importantly, be safe while you’re doing it,” says David Hula, Charles City, Va., farmer and reigning world-record corn yield holder.

Hula says one of the first steps to building next year’s yield happens right now, inside the combine.

Harvest your crop, spread residue — and most importantly, be safe while you’re doing it.”

David Hula

Residue Distribution: A Critical First Step

When the combine moves through the field, the final step is residue distribution. It’s easy to overlook, but Hula stresses its importance.

In wheat fields, residue might be baled and concentrated in the center. But in most Midwest and Southeast no-till or minimum-till systems, residue should be evenly spread across the entire header width.

Modern combines make it easier to fine-tune residue patterns. With the push of a button, operators can adjust distribution to 80% or 100%, or account for wind direction to keep residue where it belongs.

“We want to move that residue and spread it out whatever the airheader width is,” Hula explains. “If the wind’s blowing, we can push more upwind and not as much downwind.”

Chopping vs. Spreading: Tailor the Strategy to the Crop

Hula emphasizes different strategies depending on the crop residue:

Corn stalks: Don’t overwork the knives. The goal is to spread residue uniformly, not necessarily chop it finely.
Soybeans and small grains: Chop residue into smaller pieces and spread them in a uniform pattern to promote better breakdown and avoid residue piles.

If the combine must stop mid-field, Hula suggests backing up slowly to prevent creating a trash pile behind the machine — which can cause emergence problems later.

“We want to move that residue and spread it out whatever airheader width is.”

David Hula

Uniform Emergence Is the Payoff

Residue piles can block sunlight, trap moisture unevenly and create cold spots in the seedbed. The result? Uneven germination and reduced yield potential.

For example, if soybeans follow corn, leftover piles of stalks can delay soybean emergence, hurting stand uniformity and yields. Adjusting residue spreaders and choppers properly can prevent these issues long before spring planting.

Tools and Technology Make It Easier

Hula notes OEM combine manufacturers and aftermarket companies offer tools to optimize residue distribution. Whether through automated adjustments or simple add-ons, growers can improve residue spread without sacrificing combine power.

“Make sure your spreader is doing all that it possibly can without taking too much power away,” he advises.

Bottom Line for Building Yield Next Spring

Farmers don’t have to wait until winter meetings or spring field prep to focus on yield. The combine itself is a yield-building machine when used strategically. Fine-tuning residue management today helps ensure uniform emergence and stronger yields next year.

For more yield-building insights from David Hula and other top growers, visit the Farm Journal TV app under Breaking Barriers with R&D .

Four Strategies for Residue Management

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:00:00 GMT

How you manage corn residue now can lead to better performance next spring, says Doug Houser, digital ag Extension specialist at Iowa State University.

“Residue management isn’t just a combine setting — it’s a yield decision,” he says. “If residue isn’t managed [at harvest], the problems multiply. By the time you see uneven stands in June, it’s too late to fix what was set in motion the previous October.”

In an online article, Houser describes a common chain reaction with heavy residue that he encourages corn growers to keep in mind — and minimize to the degree possible:

Heavy residue in the fall traps moisture and keeps soils cooler.
In spring, those zones are either too wet to work or create large clods if you till.
In no-till, residue causes hair-pinning and poor seed-to-soil contact.
Planter ride quality suffers, causing uneven seed depth.
Uneven depth causes uneven emergence.
Uneven emergence eventually becomes uneven plant growth and development.
The result: lost yield potential.

Strategies To Help
Houser says he checks frequently behind the combine to make sure plant material coming through is separating and landing the way he wants.

“The thing I’m worried about is this mass of [plant material] coming through the combine will want to stick together. It can be like cotton balls and not separate like it should,” he says.

The goal is for the residue to land and form a wider spread on the ground.

“Wider-spread patterns thin out residue cover, giving you more consistent soil temperatures and better planting conditions [the following spring],” Houser says.

Champion corn grower David Hula offers four strategies he uses that other farmers might consider:

Apply a biodigester. Two examples currently available on the market are Residue and Excavator.
Put out some nitrogen, sulfur and sugar to stimulate biological activity.
Take advantage of warm days to help break down residue and accelerate the decomposition.
Consider applying a light layer of dirt if using vertical tillage.

One other factor Hula encourages farmers to consider is what their disease pressure looked like this season, and whether any is going to overwinter in the residue.

“The one positive about southern rust is that disease does not overwinter in residue,” he says.

That’s not the case for tar spot spores, which have up to 25% viability after overwintering in Midwestern fields, according to Crop Protection Network.

In cornfields where tar spot was a problem, Purdue Extension says deep tillage can “effectively bury infested corn residue and reduce fungal spore movement.” Purdue also recommends switching to soybeans next year if your rotation allows.

Drought Persists Despite Recent Rain, Forecast Points to Dry October

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:36:37 GMT

Rain finally fell across parts of the Midwest this past week, but for many farmers, it was a case of “too little, too late.” Much of the corn had already died down rather than matured fully before drying down, and soybeans had already finished.

Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s Principal Atmospheric Scientist, says the dry August and September is causing moisture problems in both the corn and soybean plants this year, with farmers running into issues with the crop drying down.

“Some people were trying to harvest because the beans finished and the corn didn’t dry down, it died down,” says Snodgrass. “So even when the rain finally showed up, for many farmers it wasn’t the help they needed at the right time.”

Latest look at the U.S. Drought Monitor

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

That drought is also showing up in harvest conditions, with many farmers reporting a lot of dust this year, making it hard to see.

Little dusty in the drought zone. #harvest25 pic.twitter.com/B75PXPolTa
— Noggle Farms (@Noggle_Farms) September 30, 2025

A dusty and dry harvest so far. #harvest25 pic.twitter.com/H9LmQKEzxA
— Kent (@kecasson) September 30, 2025

Blame the Dryness on the Bermuda High

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor showed slight improvement across portions of the Midwest, Southern Illinois and the Plains, but there was also drought expansion across much of the East.

What’s the driver? Snodgrass says the expanding drought, which started in August, can be blamed on the Bermuda high.

Changes in the U.S. drought picture shows scattered improvement over the past week, but deepening dryness and drought across much of the East and Southeast, as well as areas of Texas and the Northwest.

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

“About a month, even 45 days ago, we watched the Bermuda high drift off to Africa, and that mostly shut down our open access to Gulf moisture for most of the Corn Belt,” Snodgrass says. “Now, the Western Corn Belt did get some rain, and earlier last week a storm system came in and dumped what was left of the moisture into some key areas. But even with that rain, it really didn’t put a big dent in the drought in the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri basin. Drought continued to build into the Southeast as well.”

The Two-Week Outlook: Dry Harvest Conditions Ahead

Looking forward, Snodgrass said farmers can expect dry harvest conditions — but that comes with trade-offs.

“We’re going to blow open the harvest windows in the midsection of the country,” he explains. “It will get drier again, it’s going to stay very mild, which is great for combines rolling. But the downside is that the soil isn’t recharging with the moisture we need for fall fieldwork and the next growing season.”

Rainfall forecast over the next 14 days.

(Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien)

Still, not all regions will share that pattern. Looking ahead, a strong ridge pattern is expected to dominate North Central North America. That means much of the country’s midsection will see dry, mild conditions — favorable for an open harvest window but not for replenishing soil moisture.

West Coast: Rain systems are forecast.
Southeast: Rain will arrive, but from a tropical system with the potential to deliver extreme rainfall, possibly 8–12 inches in localized areas depending on what the tropical system does.

Global Weather Watch: Brazil in Focus

Snodgrass also pointed to Brazil, where recent rains have kick-started soybean planting. However, high pressure systems aren’t positioned to sustain rainfall over the next two weeks, raising concerns about early-season dryness that could hamper crop establishment.

“Brazil had a front come through this week that delivered rain, and that’s going to spark a lot of planting,” Snodgrass said. “But the problem is, the high pressure that feeds the moisture is not in the right spot, so for the next two weeks it’s going to be drier across much of Brazil. That could hamper planting. If they can build momentum, they’ll get a lot going just after these rains, but they’re going to need more to sustain it.”

Forecast for South America

(Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien)

Bottom Line

For now, U.S. farmers can expect drier harvest conditions through October, but with lingering drought across key growing regions and uncertainty in global weather patterns, soil moisture recharge may be delayed until later in the season.

“Weather’s going to take front stage for the next few weeks — North America, South America, everywhere,” Snodgrass said. “We’re in a critical stretch where timing, rainfall, and temperature patterns are going to have a big impact on harvest and planting alike.”

You can watch Snodgrass’ full forecast below.

Drought Conditions Intensify Threat Of Field And Combine Fires

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 19:56:58 GMT

High temperatures and low humidity across the eastern and western Corn Belt this past week have increased the risks for field and combine fires as harvest ramps up across the country.

With the dry conditions, Ken Ferrie encourages everyone to have plans A and B in place, ready to implement if fire occurs.

“If your plan A is to call the fire department, remember, in rural America, most of our great volunteer firemen are running their own combines, so response time is a challenge,” he says.

While Ferrie believes you – or someone on your team – needs to call the fire department or 911 to get help, he says to consider making containment your Plan A.

In the case of a field fire, keep a tillage tool or spray tender nearby. “Have it in the field with you ready to go,” he advises.

Crops that are extremely dry coupled with even a bit of wind can set up a fast-moving scenario you need to snuff out quickly. Time is of the essence, as a fire can double in size within a mere minute or two.

“That situation won’t wait for you to go home, find a tractor, dig out a tillage tool or stick a hose in your spray tender and get to your field,” Ferrie says. “You won’t have the time to do that.”

A fully engulfed corn crib fire spread to nearby fields in Foosland this Friday.
📸: Mackenzie Wichtnerhttps://t.co/XkFERxHVf6 pic.twitter.com/1sG1uVVlMW
— WICS ABC 20 (@wics_abc20) September 19, 2025

In case of a combine fire, turn off the engine, get away from the machine, and phone for help.

Then, attack with fire extinguishers if it is safe to do so, advises Joshua Michel, Iowa State University field agronomist, in an online article .

“Try to fight from the ‘black,’ the area already burned,” Michel says. “Attacking a fire from areas with combustibles (e.g. dry corn stalks) is much riskier. Always stay upwind of a fire to minimize the risk of exposure from smoke, heat and possible flames.”

Keeping a shovel on the combine to throw dirt on a fire can also help.

Five Practical Steps To Be Ready For A Fire

Here are five additional things you can do to address a fire or prevent one from occurring this harvest:

1. As you combine fields, Ferrie says to keep in mind the wind direction. “Combine downwind, if possible, on windy days so if we have a combine fire it burns away from the crop,” he advises.

2. Have a daily maintenance plan for your equipment, including blowing off chaff and debris, properly lubricating chains/bearings, and cleaning up spills, advises Ohio State University Extension (OSU).

“The majority of harvester fires start in the engine compartment. Contributing factors for heat sources include faulty wiring, over-heated bearings, leaking fuel or hydraulic oil,” report Wayne Dellinger and Dee Jepsen at OSU, in this online article .

3. Have two ABC-rated fire extinguishers on hand. Keep a smaller 10-pound unit in the cab and a larger 20-pound extinguisher at ground level on the combine. Keeping an extra fire extinguisher on other pieces of machinery or trucks that are out in the field is also a good idea.

4. Invert the fire extinguisher once or twice during the season to ensure that machine vibrations don’t compact the powder inside.

5. Review your fire emergency plan with family and employees. As part of that, create a list with the 911 addresses for each of your field locations prior to harvest and have them easily accessible to family members and farm employees, Michel encourages. When a fire is called in with a 911 address, dispatch can more readily identify the incident location and relay this information to the fire department. This can save precious time as some fields may be in remote locations.

Your next read: 5 Critical Insights From The Southern Rust Rampage In Midwest Corn

Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:19:16 GMT

Are you harvesting high-moisture corn this fall, and did that same corn experience significant foliar disease pressure? If the variable conditions crop scouts noted on Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour hold true for most of the Corn Belt , then the answer to both of those questions is likely “yes” — and that means you will need to adjust your harvest workflow.

Here are some tips and technologies to help get this crop off as efficiently and stress-free as possible, and then keep it in good condition until you’re ready to sell it:

Plan For Success
The first shift you need to consider is the sequence in which you harvest your fields. If you have a field that was inundated with higher disease pressure than others, and the crop is still standing, you want to prioritize that one over fields where the visual symptoms of disease pressure are not as widespread.

Related: Maximize Soybean Yields — Harvesting This Week Could Be Key

“It’s just [a matter of] expediting the process and getting that infected field harvested quicker than what you had anticipated, which a lot of times comes with higher moisture corn,” says Tyler Kilfoil, digital bin manager, AGI.

Calibrate Yield Monitors

Yield monitor by Darrell Smith

(Darrell Smith)

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie is worried some farmers might “get into depressed mode” and skip over yield monitor calibrations this fall. Even if yields appear to be below your expectations, Ferrie says these yield maps will be valuable in the years to come. So, get that yield monitor calibrated.

“Even if the yield [data] is depressing, get a good spatial calibration on that yield monitor for both beans and corn,” Ferrie says. “So, when we sit back and the combine is in the shed, we can go through all this data, and it’ll help us make some decisions.”

This year’s data could be particularly useful because it has been such a difficult year, agronomically speaking.

“There’ll be things that show up [in the data] that you don’t see every year, and those yield maps are going to be key,” he says. “That’s the data we need. [It’s] going to help you make decisions not only next year, but for years after.”

Combine Automation Can Help

Two men with a tablet in front of a John Deere vehicle.

(Premier Crop Systems)

Once you have a game plan for attacking your fall harvest and your yield monitor is set, there are new tools within some combines that can help manage variability from field to field.

If you’re running a new John Deere combine (model year 2025 and up), consider using Predictive Ground Speed Automation (PGSA) and Harvest Settings Automation this fall, says John Deere combine specialist Tim Ford.

Related: 5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

PGSA is a sensing technology that serves as another set of eyes for the combine operator, scanning the crop continuously 28' ahead of the corn head. It reads crop height, biomass and can even detect downed crops. It will speed up where it sees lighter biomass and slow down and take its time in higher biomass.

Harvest Settings Automation works in a similar fashion. The operator sets acceptable levels of grain loss in the combine controller, and then sensors within the machine will read the crop ahead and adjust things like header height and speed to make sure the combine harvests within your set parameters.

“These two systems act as a teammate. We’re not taking the operator out of the cab. We’re using sensors, data and technology to take a heavy burden off the operator and put it on the automation,” Ford says.

Bin Ready? Set It And Forget It

Grain Bin By Lori Hays

(File Photo )

Once the crop is off, AGI’s Kilfoil says the next decision is figuring out what to do with it.

“If it was high moisture when you picked it, that involves getting it down to a proper storage [moisture] level, maybe even running it through an eco-dryer to pull the moisture out of the corn,” he says. “From there, the final landing place is in the bin.”

Once you have this highly variable crop dried down and nestled in the bin, you need visibility into how the grain itself takes to storage conditions, all while keeping a close eye on weather conditions outside the bin, too. That’s where a grain bin monitoring system with automation can pay off — freeing up your time and attention while the system does the checking for you. And it’s just safer than manually checking bins.

“Grain bin monitoring technology is your eyes inside your bank account,” Kilfoil says. “For guys who aren’t typically used to shelling higher moisture corn and storing higher moisture corn, a product like AGI’s Bin Manager lets you sleep in peace at night. It gives you eyes inside the bin, and it’s going to fully automate your system and help with that [storage] process and decision making.”

Your next read: How Pro Farmer 2025 Crop Estimates Compare and Contrast With USDA Expectations

Illinois Farmer's Grain Bin Entrapment Turns Fatal, Son Shares Tragic Story to Save Lives

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:18:38 GMT

Illinois farmer Tom Ritter was more than a farmer. At 73 years old, he was a man who still lived to serve.

“Dad was someone who just absolutely loved agriculture,” says Cory Ritter. “I like to tell people he taught us how not to say ‘no.’ So whenever there was something that needed to be done, whether that was serve on a local Farm Bureau or a local board of some sort, if Dad was asked a lot, he said ‘yes’ a lot.”

Illinois farmer Tom Ritter with his granddaughters.

(Cory Ritter, Tom’s Son)

Just weeks away from his 51^st harvest, Tom was doing something he had done countless times before on the farm. He was cleaning out a grain bin on his farm before harvest. But this time, things suddenly went wrong.

“It happened on Aug. 20, and he was wrapping up our last empty in our last bin of corn and using a vac system,” Cory says. “There was something that went wrong with the vac or something, and he knew better than to crawl in the bin but just thought he would try to fix it from the outside. He got frustrated, like we all do on the farm, he popped in the bin real quick and some corn slid down and killed him.”

In an instant, Tom was gone. And a rescue mission by surrounding fire departments, turned into a recovery mission for those involved.

When the call came in that Tom Ritter was trapped in a grain bin, Cory Ritter says eight different fire departments and multiple farmers rushed to the scene to help.

(Cory Ritter )

“His love for community was really shown when all the farmers started showing up. Fire departments, I think there was eight fire departments, that showed up. There were over a hundred people on-site that day,” Cory says.

With the loss of his dad just weeks before, and their family still coping with such a tragic loss, Cory says he’s wiling to share his dad’s story in hopes his tragedy will help prevent accidents on other farms.

“If something good can come out of this tragedy, it’s other people thinking twice before doing something by themselves that’s slightly unsafe,” he says. “We just want to talk to make people think twice. If we can save somebody else, that’s a win and something that I’m going to be comforted in.”

Purdue University reports no fewer than 51 cases involving agricultural confined spaces were documented in 2024, including 22 fatal and 29 non-fatal cases.

(Cory Ritter )

Grain bin entrapments are a continued risk of farming. Purdue University compiles data annually, and the latest report showed 51 grain bin entrapments, and 41.2% of those resulted in a death. That compares to the five-year average of 49.7%.

However, that number is more than likely too low. As the report indicated, over two-thirds of current U.S. grain storage capacity is on farms, which are exempt from OSHA injury reporting requirements, meaning it is highly likely the summary does not encompass all grain-related entrapments.

Focus On Stalk Quality To Maximize Harvest Results

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:36:33 GMT

As Caleb Hamer evaluated his corn last weekend, he says the crop looked like it flipped a switch and decided it was done growing for the season.

“Between the southern rust, some tar spot, and I think the heat, that’s all pushed stuff along. I think the corn shut down probably sooner than need be, which is slightly alarming,” says Hamer, who farms in northeast Iowa.

Severe foliar disease can weaken corn stalks.

Test stalks using the pinch test and prioritize harvest for that field if 10 percent or more stalk rot.

Ask local Extension for more info. @alisonrISU @DTelenko @MandyBish1 @maddishires @MartinChilvers1 @badgercropdoc @tjcksn… pic.twitter.com/qz24gae8aM
— Crop Protection Network (@CropNetwork) September 3, 2025

Farmers Adjust Corn Yield Expectations
Some combination of extreme disease pressure, moisture at the wrong times and too much heat are factors likely to pull some states’ corn yield averages down from USDA’s August 12 WASDE report, which made a record 188.8 bushels per acre average yield projection.

Hamer says he has already adjusted yield expectations for his corn crop.

“I kind of had us shooting for some sort of single digit percentage over last year, and last year was a really good crop in our area. Now I’m hoping we’ll be on par with last year, but I don’t think we’re going to beat it at this point,” Hamer told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory. “I think a lot of that’s related to how fast the crop matured in August, because you’d like it to be slow, not fast in August.”

1/ #Illinois crop progress and condition, for the week ending Sept. 7:

- #Corn condition: 53% good-to-excellent (down 2% from last week)
- Corn dented: 87% (up from 72%)
- Corn mature: 27% (up from 15%)
- Corn #harvested: 2%https://t.co/Sqv7OB25Ou pic.twitter.com/4wwFi9wIZF
— FarmPolicy (@FarmPolicy) September 9, 2025

The fast maturation underway means a lot of corn in the Midwest, especially in parts of Iowa and Illinois, had a more shallow kernel fill than desired which will result in lower yields, according to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

“I still expect an average crop in Illinois, but not the bin buster we thought was possible early on this season,” he says.

Bloomberg's #corn and #soybeans crop production survey for the September WASDE report on Friday, 9/12. Corn yield estimated at 186.0 bpa and soybeans at 53.2 bpa. Good luck!!! pic.twitter.com/jbVnlt4v62
— HTS Commodities (@HTSCommodities) September 8, 2025

Make A Harvest Plan For Each Field
Ferrie says some central Illinois fields were caught in wind events last week and corn went down, and fields were also plagued by foliar disease pressure in much of the state.

Iowa fields have also been hit hard by foliar disease, especially southern rust, according to Alison Robertson, Iowa State University Extension field crops pathologist. What she says commonly happens is when severe leaf disease impacts corn plants, they remove carbohydrates from the stalk and roots in order to fill kernels in the ears.

“That leads to stalk rots, which leads to poor standability,” Robertson explains “If you have a field that has shut down, you will need to get into that field and harvest early.”

The severity of southern rust across Iowa this summer has Robertson thinking corn yield losses could reach up to 30% in those fields where no fungicide was applied. She discussed the issue on Monday with Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk. Listen to their discussion here:

Ferrie offers advice similar to Robertson’s. “Put these fields high on your harvest list to get corn out before the plants go down anymore and ear molds set in. Spend a little money on dryer gas and keep the harvest loss as low as possible,” he says.

Kentucky farmer Ryan Bivens says he is trying to stay positive despite seeing much of his corn crop die prematurely from a combination of foliar disease and too much heat.

“We’re probably 25%, 30% off our yield expectations, so it’s really tough out here,” says Bivens, who farms south of Louisville. “I’ve said all along, if we can come out of this year with 150- to 160-bushel yield, which is substantially lower than our APH, I think we better be happy.”

We’ve been shelling corn for a few days. Yields are 20% off last year across the board. pic.twitter.com/tXRCw9vZpc
— Eric Schwenke (@erschwenke) September 8, 2025

As farmers evaluate and prioritize fields for harvest, Missy Bauer recommends three steps that can help you in the process:

1. Split stalks open to gauge stalk health.
“When you split stalks open this time of the year, we should still see some integrity down in these stalks,” says Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. “If the stalk is cannibalized, and has a Styrofoam appearance, there’s little to no integrity left in the stalks.”

2. Do the pinch test. Pinch the stalk at one of the lowest two internodes with your thumb and fingers. If the pressure causes the stalk to collapse, it fails the pinch test, and that field needs to be toward the top of your harvest calendar.

3. Try the push test.
Another way to evaluate stalk integrity is with the push test. “You grab the plant right about the height of the ear, and extend the stalk over toward the other row a full arm length,” says Bauer.

If the stalk snaps off, or stays leaning over, then you know you have a greater potential for down corn in that field. Again, move that field toward the top of your harvest list.

For your planning purposes, here’s a summary of harvest considerations from Pioneer:

When prioritizing fields for harvest:
· Estimate corn yield. The Pioneer Corn Yield Estimator or the Yield Estimator in the Granular Mobile app provides quick, in-field yield estimates

Manually estimating corn yield:
· Measure one one-thousandth of an acre
· Count harvestable ears
· Determine average kernels per row (avoid tip kernels)
· Count kernel rows per ear
· Calculate: Estimated yield (bu/ac) = (ears × kernel rows × kernels per row)/90 — Example: (32×16×28)/90 ≈ 159 bu/ac

Assess stalk strength:
· Scout 2–3 weeks before harvest and use the push test; harvest weaker fields first to reduce lodging risk
· Check ear molds and calibrate monitors
· Watch for mold issues, especially in corn-on-corn or high-population fields

Calibrate yield monitors and re-check periodically during harvest.

Identify disease, insect and weather stress:
· Flag stressed fields and move them up in the harvest sequence

Operational tips:
· Consider starting at 20–25% grain moisture to spread workload and reduce field and standability risk
· After harvest, review the season’s performance to inform next season’s hybrid selection

Your next read: Corn Market Resilience Continues

5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 18:15:53 GMT

As if 2025 hasn’t thrown farmers enough curveballs for one growing season, corn harvest in the Midwest is setting up to be a tricky affair as well.

Iowa State Extension digital agriculture specialist Doug Houser says it’s been “a long time” since he’s witnessed a corn crop set farmers up for such a difficult harvest season.

The reason for Houser’s concern heading into fall harvest is the remarkable levels of disease pressure that scouts and farmers have noted in corn fields across the country.

He says farmers need to get out and scout fields with a drone (if they have a Part 107 pilot’s certification) so they can get a full picture of just how much disease has taken hold, and then prioritize the fields where they need to get the crop off to avoid fallen plants or additional yield loss.

Moisture variability within fields is also something Houser is worried could trip up some harvester crews this fall.

“I see a lot of fields that have corn and it’s dry, and then in other parts of the field it’s wet,” he says. “It might be a situation where we have to go one way and pick again. I’m not trying to throw the scare tactics out there, but we just have to get prepared for this harvest.”

Houser has five combine settings adjustments he advises farmers to dial in each time they start harvesting a new field:

Rotor/Cylinder Speed: Many fields will require a reduction in combine rotor speed to minimize harvest losses , he says. The moisture swings within individual fields will mean varying kernel test weights, and higher-moisture kernels that are soft will be prone to cracking.
Concave Settings: Houser thinks it might be prudent this year to set your concaves a little wider than you normally would, because soft, high-moisture kernels will often crack more easily with narrow concave spacings.
Fan Settings: Houser says to be very diligent here making your adjustments, because the lighter test weight kernels will want to float backward. You might have to visually inspect the rear of the combine to ensure you’re not throwing kernels out the back end with your residue spreader.
Sieve and Chafer: Start with a wider sieve opening and adjust down from there. The higher moisture, disease-ridden corn leaves have a tendency to gum up and plug up the sieve.
Ground Speed: This is a recommendation a lot of farmers won’t be too happy to heed, but harvesting at slower speeds this fall can help reduce losses. Southern rust and other foliar corn diseases often lead to weak stalks, which increases your risk of lodging.

“I keep saying it, but it’s so important to prioritize those fields [with high disease pressure]. Get those off as soon as you can,” Houser says. “The fields where we’re seeing stalk deterioration, we want to make sure we get those off in a timely manner. I know a lot of producers will say ‘Well, yeah, but Doug, [what about] the drying costs?’ My answer there would be if we don’t get it into the bin in the first place, that’s not going to help either.”

Is the U.S. Corn and Soybean Crop Getting Smaller?

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:16:51 GMT

From disease to drought, this 2025 crop has been thrown a curve ball late in the season. It’s also pushing the crop to maturity quicker. And with USDA projecting currently projecting a record yield and crop, many analysts say the U.S. crop is likely going backwards in terms of yield, but that doesn’t necessarily mean USDA will cut yield projections next month.

USDA’s August crop production report showed a record-high 2025/26 U.S. corn yield projection of 188.8 bu. per acre and a record-high soybean yield estimate at 53.6 bushels per acre.

But as AgWeb reported earlier this week , southern rust could take a big bite out of the U.S. corn crop this year. The disease is causing turmoil for farmers who have a large crop in the making. In some cases, a Hail Mary fungicide application at R4 up to early dent (R5) might make sense this season, say agronomists. But in severe cases, the disease can wipe out 45% of the yield potential in a field, according to the Crop Protection Network (CPN) .

A map of counties where Southern Rust has been confirmed or reported in 2025.

(CPN )

Add to that fresh concerns about drought, as the latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought is now covering 33% of the country. When it comes to agriculture, 5% of the corn crop is now considered in drought, 11% of the soybean crop and 30% of the cotton crop.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey authored the Monitor this week, saying the drought picture has drastically changed over the past month.

“We’re seeing rapid expansion flash drought across the mid-south, lower Midwest into the Northeast,” Rippey says. “All of this drought has come on in just the last few weeks. At the end of July, we were virtually drought free in the Midwest, so to see these yellows and tans starting to light up, that is reflective of the overall dryness. Of course, it’s a different story in the West where we’ve got drought really deeply entrenched. But from the big picture here, a lot of focus on those developing drought areas from the mid-South into the northeast.”

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows how the dry August is impacting the drought picture across the country.

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

Rippey says as the taps turned off for some areas, some portions of the Eastern Corn Belt are seeing their driest August on record. He says that dryness is extending westward into parts of the southern and eastern Corn Belt.

“Agriculturally, all eyes are on the Northern Mississippi Delta into the Ohio Valley and the southern Corn Belt. A lot of those areas are receiving less than half of the normal rainfall during the month of August. A few areas have less than 25% of normal,” Rippey says. “And with those taps turning off, that is depleting topsoil moisture. We’re going to have to wait and see with crop production in September to see how the crops have handled this late dryness.”

The map showing the percent of normal precipitation proves areas of the Corn Belt, West and Northeast have turned off dry to end the summer.

(Brad Rippey, USDA)

Rippey says, on a positive note, temperatures have remained mild. So, even though the moisture has been sparse or absent, at least temperatures didn’t amplify the situation. But a dry August is still a concern.

Impact on Yield
Peter Meyer, who helped lead Pro Farmer Crop Tour in the east last week, says with the amount of dryness that’s entered the picture —and the fact that disease has exploded in many Midwest fields over the past week — he thinks the crop is getting smaller, not bigger. But that’s something that likely won’t show up until USDA factors in test weight, which will be the October report.

“I think the crop has gone backward since [Pro Farmer] Crop Tour,” Meyer says. “When I start to look at some of these numbers for the month of August, it was extremely dry in many, many areas. We’re talking the top 10 or 15 dry years out of the last 150, 160 years. So, that’s why the crop ran out of gas. It had a lot of moisture. The heat was there. It pushed a crop further and faster. I think we have an issue.”

Meyer says based on those factors, he’s dropped his yield estimate from the 183 bu. per acre he personally projected during Crop Tour last week.

“But I’m still not below 180 [bu. per acre]. I think we’re going to have an early harvest, and I think we’re going to have an earlier harvest in beans, too. That’s represents a problem here as far as the market is concerned.”

“It definitely feels like it’s going backward,” said Jim McCormick with AgMarket.net on U.S. Farm Report. “When we talk to our clients, which we have some all across the country, they are really concerned about it. Probably a little bit more in the east and the west where we’ve seen some of the driest conditions in 130 years in parts of Ohio. Is it a disaster? No, but it’s definitely taking the top end off the crop.”

Dan Basse, who’s AgResource Company’s president and founder, agrees the U.S. corn and soybean crops could be losing yield, but he warns that it may not be a dramatic cut.

“I think its going backward, but maybe not to the degree that the farmer would like,” Basse said on U.S. Farm Report. “We dropped our yield estimate from 189.2 to 187.1 [bu. per acre]. So, we’re down a skosh from USDA, but this is still a big crop. And some of the early deal data we’re getting out of Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas is above what expectations were. When you think about this crop, southern rust is a bad disease if you get it into blister or early milk stage. But when it happens at dent, you’re looking at yield losses of zero to 4%. So, let’s hope that farmers applied one application of fungicide and that kept them until the crop got in the dent. I’m hoping that’s going to limit yield losses going forward.”

USDA’s next yield revision could come Sept. 12. That’s when the agency is slated to release its latest crop production report. But if you look at USDA’s methodology in September, which is to factor in ear counts and pod counts, Basse thinks USDA could potentially raise its yield estimate next month.

“I think, in general, they tend to grow a little bit bigger,” McCormick says of USDA’s historical pattern of yield estimates from August to September. “I mean, look at last year’s analog year. The crop was big in August, it got bigger in September, then again in October before they started revising it down. It would not be a surprise that they will go bigger, but there’s gonna be a lot of pushback, like Dan said, from the disease pressure. There’s going to be a wide range on the estimate for the September WASDE when it’s all said.”

Basse adds: “I wouldn’t be surprised if USDA raises yield next month. Even on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, it showed us record ear counts and record pod counts. Those are the two most important ingredients for the September report. Now, in October, we’ll have more to know about pod weights and ear weights. But for September, I’m kind of expecting USDA is going to be a few bushels, if you will, from the August estimate. It’s the October report that will determine how big is big.”

Need To Store More? Check Out These 9 Tips If You're Planning New Grain Bins

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:04:00 GMT

As you plan your 2025 growing season, it is prudent you reevaluate your farm’s grain storage needs, writes GSI, a brand of Grain & Protein Technologies, in a recent press release.

“A well-planned grain system is essential to protect stored grain quality and increase harvest efficiency,” says Jeff Cravens, director, North America, grain east central farm sales.

For farmers planning a new grain system or adding on to a current build, Cravens offers the following considerations:

Capacity and grain types: How many different types of grain will the facility handle, and what are the different handling and storage characteristics for each grain? Will grain drying be required? Also take into account your volume requirements for each grain type to service the market, customers and end users.
Location: Where will you market your grain? Consider who your customers are as well as your proximity to them, which can have a significant impact on location. Access to a nearby state highway lets you haul grain year-round without any road restrictions. Having your farm’s grain storage facility near your fields reduces transport time and fuel costs and may even reduce the number of trucks needed.
Fuel: Does the site have access to natural gas? As a general rule of thumb, grain can be dried with natural gas for about half the cost of propane.
Power: Three-phase power is needed for operating large machines and motors in today’s larger grain systems. It is a necessity for high-capacity dryers because of the large amount of grain being dried. In areas where three-phase power is not available, a phase converter can be used to run three-phase motors and engines from existing single-phase power sources.
Room for growth: Always include additional space in the layout of a new system to accommodate more equipment as your operation grows, including the number and capacity of grain bins, conveyors and dryers that will be needed. Also, remember that space doesn’t do much good if you don’t have the infrastructure — natural gas and electric — to expand.
Wet bushel storage: Do not assume that your wet holding capacity will always be adequate. Once you start drying more grain, an increase in your wet bushel storage capacity will become a necessity.
Pit: Consider adding a truck load-out or a pit, which can sometimes save the cost of a truck or lead to other benefits.
Traffic pattern: Create a traffic pattern for separate dumping and loading stations to increase efficiency. Being able to load and unload grain simultaneously can save you time and money.
Profitability: Make sure you know your operating costs and the revenue needed to meet your margin requirements. Also, consider how much additional margin could be captured with automation.

“Now is the best time to begin planning for a new or expanded grain system for 2025,” Cravens said.

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As the Wizard of Yield, Ken Ferrie Reveals His Secrets on Unscripted

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:56:53 GMT

Dry weather is enabling a smooth, productive harvest in the Midwest, but on the latest episode of Unscripted , Farm Journal agronomy expert Ken Ferrie cautions farmers about safety issues arising from the lack of rain interruptions. “Crews can get into zombie mode,” he tells podcast hosts Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths. “Give yourself and crews time to regenerate so we don’t end up with any accidents here at the end.”

As for the size of the harvest, he remains optimistic, despite drought and “the largest infestation of corn aphids I’ve seen in my career,” he says. USDA and Pro Farmer Crop Tour forecasts predict record-breaking corn and soybean yields in some states, including his home state of Illinois. “There are some big numbers coming out of these farms,” he says. “There are a lot of field records falling for corn and soybeans.”

Ferrie and the hosts agree that this year’s main challenge is not lack of grain but where to store it and how to ship it. Record-breaking yields and too much of last year’s grain held for too long is making available bin space hard to find. Labor shortages, particularly the lack of truck drivers, could create bottlenecks as we go deeper into harvest, Ferrie says.

The Questionable Future of Dicamba

There is also concern among farmers about the potential loss of dicamba as a weed management tool. In 2023, weeds were particularly problematic, and dicamba played a crucial role in controlling tough weed populations. Farmers may need to adopt alternative strategies and herbicides if dicamba becomes unavailable, which could increase costs and require more proactive management.

“Will we survive without it? Yes. Will we have to put more herbicides on and be more proactive in different ways? Yes. But it’s a situation where I hope we don’t lose dicamba. At the same time, these guys will deal with it if it happens,” says Ferrie.

The Secret to Soybean Yields

He touches on a wide range of topics throughout the podcast, including advice on when to plant. Yields prove that planting soybeans before corn can lead to better production. “The biggest thing that moves the needle here is planting beans early,” he says. “Today we have fungicides and insecticides to protect those beans that we didn’t have 10 years ago.” He adds that waiting to plant corn has actually increased yields. “Put corn in based on the soil conditions not on the calendar and it will usually reward you,” he says.

The discussion also hits on advances in agricultural technology, such as the increasing use of drones for precision spraying and monitoring crop health. These innovations, including the potential for plants to signal stress through genetic traits, are revolutionizing crop management. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies in corn planters has significantly enhanced planting precision, contributing to record yields.

Watch the full episode of Unscripted.

Equipment Expert: Comb Through Your Combine To Ensure Uptime And Performance

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:01:00 GMT

As fall harvest approaches, ensuring that combines are in optimal condition is essential for limiting downtime and completing your harvest efficiently.

Jerrad Bourne, business development manager, Ziegler Ag Equipment, has several tips for farmers to prepare their combines for the fall harvest crunch. Ziegler Ag is an equipment dealer serving growers across Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri.

Bourne says it is important farmers start with a thorough visual inspection of the combine and its various moving components. Since many farmers are already familiar with their machines, they can identify key wear points and potential problems before a breakdown.

Bourne offers the following checklist for the initial inspection:

Gearboxes: Check for dirt and dust buildup, which could indicate a leak. A leak can stem from a loose bolt or failing seal, or it could suggest the need for a full replacement.
Feeder house chains, concaves, and sieves: Look for any rock damage, misaligned, bent, or broken parts.
Hydraulic fittings and hoses: Inspect for leaks, wear, or cracking due to aging.
Visible bearings: Examine for signs of play or damage.

Bourne adds that farmers who don’t have time to complete these inspections themselves can lean on services from the local equipment dealer, like Ziegler Ag’s preventative maintenance inspections. Dealer technicians are trained to complete thorough diagnostics and provide the farmer with a list of necessary repairs and estimated costs. Bourne notes that it is also beneficial to conduct similar inspections post-harvest.

Beyond the mechanical aspects of the combine itself, technology workups are also essential, Bourne says.

Corn Harvest - Pound Farms - By Lindsey Pound 2022

(Lindsey Pound)

Combines today are equipped with GPS and yield monitors, and newer models automate many functions such as header height and some of the adjustments within the threshing and separation modules.

Bourne recommends downloading and installing the latest software updates before heading to the field to ensure systems are functioning properly and automation features are working smoothly. Ensure yield monitors are properly calibrated before heading to the field, as well. Testing various components in your farm shop helps avoid issues on the first day of harvest.

Should problems arise, local dealerships and manufacturers offer phone support to resolve most technology-related issues.

Equally important to a successful harvest is the condition of the combine head, the first point of contact for bringing crops into the machine. A pre-season visual inspection of corn and grain heads is necessary. Key areas to check include:

Chains: Ensure they are tight.
Gearboxes: Inspect for leaks.
Bearings: Confirm they are tight and functioning smoothly.
Sickle sections and guards: Check for straightness and sharpness.
Belt tensioners: Ensure they are snug and operating properly.

Corn head stalk rolls and chains: Check for smooth operation and proper alignment.

Bourne also advises stocking up on commonly needed parts like sensors, which can save time and prevent frustrating delays during harvest. A quick check with the local service representative or the machine’s owner’s manual can provide a list of useful parts to have on hand.

If breakdowns occur, Bourne says farmers should contact their local equipment dealer, as most will offer 24/7 phone support and remote troubleshooting. That way a technician can troubleshoot issues, arrange repairs, and keep farmers updated via text or email, ensuring maximum uptime during harvest.

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Will a Very Dry End to Growing Season Impact Corn and Soybean Yields? Missy Bauer Explains on Unscripted.

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:58:32 GMT

As corn and soybean growers get ready to begin their harvest, the bullish optimism they felt just last month has been tempered by a hot and very dry end to the season. Forecasts from the USDA and Pro Farmer Crop Tour back in August called for high, even record-breaking, yields. Now it looks like expectations should be a little more modest.

Michigan-based crop consultant and Farm Journal field agronomist Missy Bauer joins Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths on the Unscripted podcast to explain what she’s seeing and how the late-season drought might shape what farmers can expect as they start up their harvesters.

“The last month of dry weather has had an impact, unfortunately,” Missy says. “A lot of farmers will be surprised by how dry their corn is when they get into it.” She explains that the hot, dry weeks have caused corn to mature and dry down too quickly, which can impact yields because “so much yield today comes from the depth or the size of the kernel itself.”

The timing of the heat and lack of moisture has been even worse for soybeans. “In our area we were podded up for a record bean crop,” Missy says. “The podding on these beans was unbelievable. I’m bummed out that we had such a good start and couldn’t finish it.”

Despite the poor end to the season, she still believes yields will be strong. “While the last month is going to take the top off the cream of this crop, we’re going to have some good crops, without any question.” she says. “With what we’re doing with genetics, we’re so resilient to weather issues.”

Missy and the hosts shift the discussion on the podcast from how much yield farmers can expect to where they’ll store that crop after it’s been harvested. “We’re going to have crops standing in the field because they have nowhere to go,” she says. Clinton and Tyne add that not only could there be storage issues, the drought has also impacted barge traffic due to lower river levels.

Maybe growers have done too good of a job this year. With harvest upon us, we’ll soon find out.

Listen to the full episode of Unscripted.

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Grape Growers Desperately Need You to Drink More Wine as They Grapple With a Glut of Uncontracted Grapes

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:53:44 GMT

It’s not just row crop farmers dealing with challenges and low prices. In California, prices are low for everything from nuts to fruits, and financial stress is weighing heavily on farmers. Grape growers are in a particularly unique situation. Declining demand for wine and an increase in imported wine means there’s a glut of grapes this year, and it’s so bad there’s a surge in the amount of unharvested grapes that still don’t have a home. Now, there are fears it could ultimately force more true family farmers out of business.

Jennifer Thomson took over the family farm in 2012. Napa Valley is broken into American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Thomson’s vineyard is situated in the Los Carneros AVA. Thomson is one of the few family farmers still left in Napa Valley.

“I think it’s incredibly rare. When you truly meet a family grower who is hands on and drives their own tractor and is responsible for selling their own fruit and is responsible for paying the taxes on the land, and there’s no middlemen involved, that’s a rarity in 2024,” she says.

Jennifer Thomson is a 5th-Generation Farmer in Napa Valley, California.

(Jennifer Thomson )

The toil she’s dedicated to the land runs five generations deep, yet when she took over, she truly made the operation her own. She focused on plant health, mechanizing some of the labor-intensive tasks on the farm and truly paid attention to every detail.

This year, the vines are a sign of her hard work. The vines that line her vineyard are loaded with a healthy crop that’s sized up nicely and mildew free.

Wine grapes in Napa Valley, Calif.

(Tyne Morgan )

Battling different weather each year, she says this year, there actually haven’t been too many speed bumps in the road. Even with the heat making headlines, grape growing has been good in her area of California. Yet, her vibrant and healthy vines aren’t as full as they’d normally be.

“I made some decisions during pruning to reduce the crop load in conjunction with this being a sluggish grape selling market,” says Thomson.

No Home for Most Her Grapes
In December of 2023, Thomson received some gut-wrenching news.

“Ultimately, all of our contracts were canceled on December 31, 2023. All of them with the exception of one,” she adds.

Thomson’s vineyards produce just under 300 tons of grapes each year, and for the first time in more than a decade, two-thirds of her crop is uncontracted and without a home.

“I have found limited and very small homes. And by that I mean am I able to sell two to eight tons here or there? Yes, but that has been through existing clients who were smaller family-owned wineries. Our parcels produce hundreds of tons worth of grapes,” Thomson explains.

Thomson’s Vineyards in Napa Valley, California

(Tyne Morgan)

First Time in More than a Decade Farmers Have Faced Uncontracted Grapes on Vines
Walking lush vineyards and staring at young healthy vines loaded with unsold grapes is a flashback to what area vineyards saw 15 years ago.

“During sort of the ".com” era and the financial bust of 2008 and 2009, a similar pattern occurred in the marketplace where wineries canceled all contracts across the board for many growers or even those growers who had contracts were told do not deliver those grapes to the winery,” she says.

Napa Valley is known for grape and wine production. 4 percent of California’s wine production happens in Napa Valley, but its value is higher.

Impacting Multigenerational Farms
Nearly 60 miles east of Napa Valley, you’ll find grape growers in another fruitful production area of California, which is Lodi. It’s an area that is home to 20% of California’s wine production. And grape growers there are faced with the same dilemma.

“Our community is multi-generational farming families that have been farming grapes for over 100 years,” says Stuart Spencer, executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. “And so their whole identity is wrapped up in growing grapes. And so it’s really hitting some of our people hard.”

Dwindling Wine Demand
Home to 100,000 acres of grapes, Spencer says the current issue is both too much supply and dwindling demand.

“We were fortunate in our industry, and in the United States, to have about 30 years of positive growth, year-after-year growth. One of the challenges with growth is it tends to hide the problems and challenges,“ he explains.

Wine consumption had started to taper off around 2017 and 2018, but the pandemic hid some of the problems.

(State of the World Wine and Wine Sector Report from 2023. )

Spencer says the U.S. wine market started to see demand flatten in 2018. One reason is the Baby Boomer generation growing older.

“Then we went into the pandemic and the pandemic really distorted sales and shipments, and we are still dealing with the hangover of the distortions from the pandemic,” Spencer explains.

As consumers bought more wine, beer and spirits during the pandemic, retailers also beefed up their inventories to meet the booming demand. But now, the story has changed. With inflation and other concerns in the economy, consumers are drinking less wine and retailers aren’t buying as much.

“It’s pushed the inventory back upstream, basically to the wineries, who then turn around and cut grape purchases to the growers,” he says.

However, it’s not just the fact consumers aren’t home as much drinking wine. Spencer says there’s also been an anti-alcohol sentiment in the news over the past year that’s pushing people away, including claims from the World Health Organization.

“One of the problems we see there is they’re not differentiating between ‘abuse and healthy use.’ The World Health Organization come out with saying no level of alcohol is safe. And so a lot of these things are kind of in a backdrop that’s really putting pressure on wine.”

Article from the World Health Organization (WHO) website.

(WHO website )

Issues Started in 2023
With a decline in demand, Spencer says it came to a head during last year’s harvest when growers started facing a brutal reality.

“A lot of our growers in the Lodi area operate on what are called ‘long-term contracts.’ And many of the large wine companies were using every kind of loophole in the contracts to get out of purchasing grapes and using quality parameters and things like that, which really put pressure on the growers.”

He says estimates show 400,000 tons of grapes went unharvested last year in California alone. There are fresh fears this year could be even worse with more grapes left without a contract this close to harvest.

“One of the real frustrating things for the growers in California is that our largest buyers - and the top seven wineries - control about 70% of the U.S. wine market,” says Spencer. “Over the last 20 years, they’ve evolved into kind of what we call global alcohol companies. And so they’re no longer just sourcing California grapes, but still selling their wine there.”

A Surge in Imports Hurting Family Farmers
As those major wine companies increase imports, it’s another challenge for California’s grape growers, especially when those wine companies’ claims can be misleading.

What’s being called a “dirty secret “ is the fact 20 million gallons of imported bulk wine poured into California just in the first five months of this year, all while a large portion of California’s grapes for wine don’t have a home. Some argue that the government stepping in with tariffs on imported bulk wine would actually help save family farmers struggling to survive.

“I’ve been digging into this for the past six months, and there is a loophole in our trade regulations, and it’s called, double duty drawback, which allows these imports to come in basically tax free,” says Spencer. “And so they’re basically getting 99% of their alcohol taxes and duties refunded to them if they can provide matching exports. And so that’s a handful of companies getting potentially hundreds of millions of dollars, which has created a significant incentive for this bulk wine imports to take place, which has undercut the California grape grower.”

As imports increase, it’s another challenge for California’s grape growers who have no home for their grapes. Even when they do have somewhere to take their perishable product, the prices they are being paid haven’t gone up as much as costs to produce that ton of grapes.

“We were being paid $2,000 to $2,500 a ton back in 1998. Maybe in current times, in 2023 2024 for sparkling wine grapes, we’re being paid $2,850 to $2,900. And that’s really only a 10% increase over 20 years or more.

Thomson says at the same time, her costs are up anywhere from 30% to 50%.

Ask for American-Made Wine
Taking over her family farm, there’s nothing else Thomson would rather do. She’s convinced the future of wine in the U.S. can find renewed demand, as she hopes there’s still a group of consumers that want to a connection to the wine they drink.

“I really do feel that there is a group out there that are millennials who are really getting into collecting wine, or they have that authentic need to connect,” says Thomson. “There’s an opportunity in the industry, and I think that the smart wineries will capitalize on that. The question will be for us as family farmers. How long can we wait for them to discover this?”

Grape growers across the U.S. want consumers to not only drink more wine, but to make sure the wine they’re consuming is actually produced from grapes grown in the U.S.

“At the end of the day, we need the customer to pay attention to where their food comes from and where their wine comes from, and to be looking at the labels and care about that. I think that’s the most important thing.” says Spencer. “We as an industry are going to be fighting some of these issues as best we can, but the farmers are at the bottom of the food chain. And so our resources are limited.”

“I would just ask for people in the Midwest or wherever you might be across the United States, when we say, ‘get to know your farmer,’ we really mean, even in the wine industry, know who the farmer is behind those grapes and know who the winemaker is,” says Thomson.

Take Our Poll: What Percentage Of Your Old Crop Is Still In The Bin?

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 22:00:46 GMT

USDA’s June Grain Stocks Report found that on-farm corn stocks were up 36.5% versus the previous season to more than 3 million bushels, which is the highest level since 1988.

USDA’s June Grain Stocks Report found that on-farm corn stocks were up 36.5% versus the previous season to more than 3 million bushels.

(Senate Ag GOP Analysis, USDA NASS)

The same was true for soybeans. On-farm soybean stocks were up 44% compared with June 2023 to 466,000 bu.

Six weeks later, as harvest nears in the Midwest, what percentage of your old crop corn and soybeans are still in storage? If you have a moment, would you answer four questions in our quick poll?

There’s a lot of chatter about corn and soybeans still in the bin. Let’s see what farm country has to say.

Florida Bus Crash Involving Farm Workers Kills Eight, Leads to DUI Arrest of Driver Involved

Wed, 15 May 2024 20:25:34 GMT

A bus carrying farm laborers in northern Florida collided with a pickup truck on Tuesday and overturned, killing at least eight people and critically injuring eight others, authorities said.

The driver of the pickup truck, Bryan Maclean Howard, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers on eight counts of manslaughter while driving under the influence, according to a statement from Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

In addition to the eight people killed and the eight critically injured, another 37 bus passengers were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Marion County Fire and Rescue said in a statement.

The bus crashed through a fence and overturned after side-swiping a pickup truck and careening off the roadway, Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Steve Gaskins said in a statement.

The workers were headed to pick melons at Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, a small farming community about an hour’s drive south of Gainesville, when the bus overturned. Marion County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the scene just after 6:30 a.m. EDT (1030 GMT), the department said in a Facebook post.

“Today, we faced a tragic incident on West Highway 40 in Ocala with a devastating bus wreck,” wrote Marion Fire Chief James Banta in the post.

Cannon Farms, which operates a commercial farm, said on Facebook that it will be closed on Tuesday “out of respect to the losses and injuries endured early this morning in the accident.”

Cannon said the accident “took place to the Olvera Trucking Harvesting Corp,” but a representative could not be reached immediately to clarify. It is unclear whether Olvera owns the bus or hired the workers.

“Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident,” Cannon said. “We appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.”

(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago, Rich McKay in Atlanta, Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado, and Dan Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis, Aurora Ellis and Deepa Babington)

Seed Impact Mill Technology Hammers Herbicide-Resistant Weeds

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:38:46 GMT

Seventy-five-thousand dollars is a lot of money to put into a tool whose only job is to obliterate weed seeds.

But buying such a tool – called a harvest weed seed control system (HWSC), which uses seed impact mill technology – and installing it on your combine can be a good investment, says one Texas farmer who has done just that. The one caveat for his endorsement of such tools? You need to have at least one significant herbicide-resistant weed that is gaining the upper hand in your fields.

“Where you have a major weed resistance problem and there’s no other effective means (to control it), I think this is a no brainer from what I can see,” says Rodney Schronk, who grows dryland corn, cotton, wheat and sunflowers about an hour south of Dallas.

Schronk is going into year three of using a Redekop Seed Control Unit. The three weed species he is most concerned about and is targeting with the unit are Italian ryegrass, redroot pigweed and Johnsongrass.

While he suspects all three weeds exhibit some degree of herbicide resistance on his farm, the Italian ryegrass is particularly concerning. “It has very strong resistance to glyphosate,” he says.

Schronk says his No. 1 reason for purchasing the Redekop was to run it during hard and soft red winter wheat harvests.

“It has worked flawlessly in that scenario,” he says. “We’ve had no trouble whatsoever.”

Three Systems Available Today
Schronk first heard about the Redekop and what it was capable of doing from his son who had learned about it from one of his professors at Texas A&M. The Redekop is one of three HWSC systems available commercially today. The other two are the integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) and the Seed Terminator .

The basic premise of these tools, called seed impact mills, is they destroy weed seeds during harvest. As plant material moves through the combine, the mills damage weed seeds and render them non-viable.

While each of the three systems has some different features between them, each one is effective, according to Michael Flessner, Extension weed scientist at Virginia Tech.

“All three brands are very effective at killing the weed seeds with, generally, over 98% kill,” says Flessner. “The one weed that we’ve had less than that percentage of control with is Italian ryegrass, where we’re seeing more of a 90% to 95% kill. So, they are very effective.”

Flessner led a farmer panel discussion on HWSC systems using seed impact mills on behalf of GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds) in December. The discussion is available to watch in full on YouTube here .

Few On The Farm, So Far
Flessner says he estimates there are about 50 HWSC systems on U.S. farms in operation today. He believes the $75,000 price tag is the main reason more have not been purchased.

“It is somewhat of a sticker shock when you first hear that, but when you spread that across acres, the price comes down substantially,” he says. “In Australia, they kind of equate it to about the price of a cheap herbicide pass.”

Flessner estimates about 1,250 seed mill units are currently used on farms in Australia, where weed resistance problems are often as severe or worse than those in the U.S.

While the HWSC systems are effective, farmers interested in purchasing them will want to consider some of the pros and cons. Here are some of the factors the farmer panel discussed:

1. The systems work better in some crops than others. Along with that, green plant matter often leads to plugged up systems.

“They don’t like green, period,” says Nick Druffel, who farms with his brother, Dale, near Uniontown, Wash. The brothers grow wheat, peas, lentils, chickpeas, and from time-to-time, some barley.

They purchased a Seed Terminator to address some of their most problematic weeds, such as Italian ryegrass, wild oats and dog fennel.

“When it comes to cutting lentils, we have to change out our mills to a high-flow mill; otherwise, it’ll plug instantly,” Nick says.

“We kind of have to pick and choose a little bit. If (the crop) is too green, even in green wheat, it will plug. But for the most part we’re getting we’re getting a handle on it,” Nick adds.

Schronk says he had a similar challenge with the Redekop in sunflowers. “Where our sunflowers were very dry, it worked just fine. But the second we got into some sunflowers with a little bit of moisture, it stopped up.”

2. The systems can have significant horsepower requirements. “It takes a minimum 100 hp to run it,” says Nick Druffel of the Seed Terminator. “Fuel-wise, you burn a lot of fuel. We figure it cost us about $4 an acre.”

Schronk adds that significant plant matter in big crops can slow the harvest process, when the systems are used.

He says the Redekop performed well in his 2022 corn crop but that a “good” 2023 corn crop ate into his available horsepower.

“We really like using (the Redekop) in corn, but this year it was slowing us down tremendously. So we had to disengage it to get through our corn crop just because of speed,” he says. “We’ll have to go to a higher horsepower combine to meet those requirements.”

3. Herbicides still play an important role in weed control. The Druffels say the Seed Terminator they purchased is another tool in their toolbox that is helping them deplete their weed seed bank – their ultimate goal. They believe that goal will require multiple practices to achieve, including herbicide use.

“When we went into this we didn’t change anything that we did,” Nick says. “We still spray the same, we don’t cut rates, we just basically added another tool to our toolbox to help with the weed situation.”

Flessner encourages farmers evaluating whether to purchase an HWSC system to consider the kinds of weeds that are escaping their current control methods. Many are herbicide resistant.

“These aren’t just any old weed seeds,” he says. “These are weed seeds that have beaten whatever you’ve thrown at them, whether that was your herbicide program, crop competition, or whatever. They’ve kind of won that battle. And currently, we are rewarding them across millions of acres in the United States and around the world with a conventional harvest. These (tools) can really put a stop to those weed seeds before we spread them out around the farm.”

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Christmas Tree Farm Helps Families Make Memories

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 21:23:01 GMT

Christmas tree farming is becoming a rarer part of American agriculture, but at Riverview Christmas Tree farm on the Iowa, South Dakota border they’re helping keep the tradition alive.

Todd Gannon and wife Shari left the corporate world eight years ago and bought the farm where Todd worked during high school and their family visited annually to cut their own Christmas tree. “My wife and I were looking for a change. I was on an airplane every week. Just wanted to get back to more localized agriculture.”

Gannon says this type of agriculture requires a large amount of hand labor, plus each tree takes eight to ten years before it can be harvested and sold. “So, we have about 20,000 trees on the farm each year we will harvest or sell between 1000 and 1500 trees and then we come back in the spring with about 3000 new trees just due to the death loss, what’s harvested and then also some of the other trees are going to have to get knocked down because they’re just not growing real pretty. “

But a tree that’s not pretty to one family may be perfect for the next, and the Gannon says the experience of cutting their own fresh Christmas tree draws customers from hundreds of miles around. “We’re one of the last choose and cut your Christmas tree farms in the area. So, we’re kind of the last thing left.”

Their goal at Riverview is to help families develop long lasting memories. Gannon says, “We really specialize in the experience more than just the training and we have family that have been coming out for over 30 years. It’s really just a fun experience certain family get out in nature. Enjoy the holidays, Santa Claus is here, wander through the fields and really choose that perfect tree for your family.”

The Kuchta family of Tea, South Dakota, has been coming to Riverview for the last 12 years. Lynette Kuchta says they harvest their own tree in honor of her mom. “We decided to start our own tradition once my mom passed away and so this is our tradition that we come out and we pick a tree and actually my grandkids get to pick it so we get all sorts of different kinds of trees every year.”

And she says even the physical harvesting of the tree is a tradition that’s being handed down from generation to generation. “Kind of the guys rotate who actually does the sawing and so it started my husband was doing it and now my son has taken that over and eventually it will be my grandson.”

Once the tree is cut the Kuchta family heads off to have the staff process the tree for transport. Gannon explains, “So you bring the tree up and any of the past year’s growth has died off inside the tree will be shaken out. We’ll also drill the hole for a stand, and we sell stands. Then they run it through a nursery kind of bag which is a nice easy to transport unit.”

The Kuchta’s cap the day off with cider, hot chocolate and holiday goodies at the lodge and their annual family Christmas photo. A day of Christmas memories home made in the country.

David Hula Hit Another New Record Corn Yield With 623 BPA, Now Thinks 900 BPA Is Possible

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 19:37:26 GMT

A corn grower from Virginia is the reigning National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest champ, hitting a new national record yield of 623.8439 bu. per acre. David Hula, who’s known for growing big yields, beat his previous record set in 2019.

In 2019, the Charles City, Va., farmer set a national yield record at 616.8439 bu. per acre, and four years later, he moved the needle once again. Hula’s win marks his 12th national high-yield victory and his fifth world corn yield record.

Just how much more yield potential does Hula think is out there? If you ask him, he’ll tell you farmers might just be scratching the surface.

“I used to think it was 500 [bu. per acre], and then Randy Dowdy broke 500. Then we saw 600 [bu. per acre],” Hula told Farm Journal at the 2023 Commodity Classic.

Related Story: Young Farmer Breaks Soybean World Record With Stunning 206-Bushel Yield

Hula said when he harvested the record yield in 2019, some spots in the field reached 700 bu. per acre. Still, he thinks the yield potential is even higher than that.

“I do believe the corn genetic potential is probably in that 900-bushel [per acre] range,” Hula says. “Think about it, if that’s the genetic potential, and USDA forecasts the country’s national average to be 180 to 181 bushels [per acre], we, as growers, have a big gap to fill.”

Hula’s most recent corn yield victory came with a Pioneer corn hybrid. As a proponent of minimal tillage practices, such as strip tillage, he’s found success with some biologicals. Hula likes to use products, such as Excavator by Meristem, that help break down residue while also releasing much-needed nutrients in the soil to help feed to crop.

“As a corn grower, the No. 1 focus is to get corn to come up uniformly,” Hula says. “We all think about what hybrids to choose, but we still have to get that corn to come up uniformly. Strip-till allows us to get that soil zone in good condition.”

Related Story: Randy Dowdy Smashes Soybean Yield Record, Busts 190 Bu.

Another benefit of minimal tillage combined with a biological has been the reduction in the amount of fertilizer he needs to apply.

“We can cut back 40% and have the same effect as if we were to broadcast 100%,” Hula explains. “Better stands and more efficient use of our fertilizer is a win-win.”

Hula’s advice for growers who are also striving to break yield barriers on their own farm is two-fold.

“Have a positive attitude, and be willing to make that change,” he says. “As growers, we get into the mindset of wanting to do same thing. Be open-minded to try something, whether it’s new products or a new technique on your operation. If a grower can change one thing each year, just try it and then compare it to what you were doing before. You’ll see continued success over time.”

NCGA has hosted its National Corn Yield Contest for 59 years. This year, NCGA reported nearly 7,000 entries from 46 states.

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