Crop Conditions
Barbell, beer can and banana are descriptive names for abnormal ear shapes that show up every season and cause yield losses — problems growers could avoid more often by tuning into three factors researchers refer to as GEM.
Research from Michigan State University links an early seeding window and 5‑inch row spacing with more wheat heads per square meter and double‑digit bushel gains.
Day 3 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour reveals low ear counts dragging down rain-weary Illinois fields, while Western Iowa corn flashes standout potential despite rising SDS and brown stem rot in soybeans.
Day 2 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour reveals surprisingly resilient fields on the Eastern leg, while a late-summer moisture deficit leaves dryland crops on the Western leg lagging behind 2025 yields.
Flooding and derecho damage in the east, drought in the Plains, and a surprise USDA yield cut have this year’s crop looking more uncertain than ever right as Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts prepare to hit the fields.
Illinois Soybean Association on-farm research found that sulfur can boost yields under certain soil and management conditions—but it’s far from a blanket recommendation.
Agronomists urge farmers to scout, treat and communicate any significant losses to landlords and bankers prior to harvest.
Corn conditions posted their steepest weekly drop of the year as triple-digit heat hit the Midwest and Plains. AgResource’s Dan Basse says as a result, slight revisions to national yield estimates are already underway.