Drought
Record heat, a rare Pacific hurricane triplet, and a wobbly South American monsoon are the latest signs of a historic El Niño, and Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass says it’s about to squeeze this fall’s harvest window, too.
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.
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.
After years of dry falls, a historic El Niño could cut U.S. farmers’ fall field-workable days by 20%, Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass warns, while drying delays and flat acreage threaten Brazil and Argentina’s 2026-2027 crop.
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.
USDA ratings show that the nation’s crops lag behind Iowa’s current strong performance, while drowned-out areas and weather stress in Illinois could deliver harvest disappointments.
With summer patterns running up to four weeks behind schedule, meteorologist Don Day urges growers to plan in short windows for the second half of the growing season.