Latest News From Harvest

Data — a word that packs a punch but can be hard to define. From planting to irrigation, it's necessary to have a digital record of these field activities to participate in sustainability and crop traceability programs.

USDA cut its estimate for Brazil’s soybean production by 1 MMT in the March WASDE report, which was less than what the trade expected. USDA didn’t make any cuts to Brazil’s corn.

Harvest weed seed control systems have a hefty price tag, but some farmers and researchers say they are a good investment and provide a ROI, especially where resistant weeds are taking over and control options are few.

From the intense heat in the South to drought blanketing much of the U.S., weather stole headlines again in 2023. What caused such extreme conditions? One meteorologist explains the culprits of the heat and drought.

It’s no surprise those who chase high-yield honors set aside acres for that very purpose. However, there’s something to learn from the management practices that go into growing a record crop.

West Texas is the largest cotton production area in the country, but after battling drought and heat, area farmers say the dryland crop is a failure, and the irrigated acres are only yielding half of normal.

After a year of struggles in 2022, this year’s crop reaped weather that was much more favorable for growing cotton. Burlison, Tenn., farmer Brad Williams describes this year’s growing season as almost perfect.

Most of Brazil’s jump in production is due to a 40% increase in planted acres for soybeans and 33% for corn. Demand for food will incentivize Brazil to plant even more acres, but there are logistical challenges at play.

According to USDA’s final crop progress report of the season, 96% of corn has been harvested — a 3% increase from last week.

Neil Lee's cotton dealt with cool weather early on, which stunted the crop. It then turned off hot and dry. At harvest, he was thrilled to find "money bolls" at the bottom of the plant. 

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 93% of corn has been harvested so far – an increase 5% from this time last week.

Tom Askjem disappears under farmland, descends to depths of 13’-plus, and returns to the surface with treasure—bottles and glassware from agriculture’s past.

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 88% of corn and 95% of soybeans have been harvested so far.

East-central Texas farmers battled historic heat, along with no rain during the heart of the growing season. The outlook on the cotton crop was bleak, but one Texas farmer says cotton harvest produced several surprises.

Here's how and why you need to clean your combine after harvest and before you park it for the winter.

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 81% of corn and 91% of soybeans have been harvested so far.

According to the team at Heartland Ag Solutions, taking the time now to prep equipment for spring is vital.

You're likely done or on the downhill side of harvest. Here are seven to-dos before you park equipment to make sure it fires up next year, to be mindful of electrical components and to keep away moisture and varmints.

Moisture availability is one of the biggies to check out, says Ken Ferrie. He also details some upcoming agronomic events, like his Beyond The Basics five-part webinar series and the virtual Corn & Soybean College.

Drought hit farmers hard in Minnesota this season, so farmers are finding mixed results at harvest. Many are disappointed with soybeans but say their corn yields are better than expected.

While a few cotton fields flourished with yields to brag about at the gin, the majority of the region’s production suffered, from one weather extreme to another.

A handful of soybeans scattered on the ground doesn't look like much, but small numbers can quickly add up to large losses. Evaluating the situation and making adjustments can help you take more beans to the bin.

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 71% of corn and 85% of soybeans have been harvested so far, which is considerably ahead of the five-year average.  

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of this photo, the damage is obvious while the mind is left to wonder what the mechanic on his cell phone is saying to the person on the other end.

God bless grain cart drivers. They are great mind readers, understanding all those hand signals that are hard to interpret and hard to see, and the person who generally takes all the blame.

Farmers applying NH3 can maximize their dollars and use of the product by not applying it until soil temperatures are no more than 50 degrees and trending lower, according to Iowa State University Extension.

Soybean platforms sometimes become bulldozers, “pushing” dirt with one end of the cutterbar. Here are 5 things to check when that happens.

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 59% of corn and 76% of soybeans have been harvested so far.

It’s a tale of two crops in South Dakota with corn yields exceeding expectations while soybeans missed those late season rains and have been overall disappointing. 

According to USDA’s crop progress report, 45% of corn and 62% of soybeans have been harvested so far this year.

Ken Ferrie offers five practical agronomic tips you can use during harvest this fall. These practices can help you improve corn performance and yield outcomes across your farm.

If your combine monitor is showing a wide range of yields in the field, Ken Ferrie says to investigate. Evaluate soybean stand, pod set and bean size while there’s agronomic evidence.

Every experience is a learning experience — even when a combine is stuck in a gully.

Weather woes took a huge bite out of corn yield potential this season, especially in northeast Iowa and parts of western Illinois. Where farmers got timely rains, the yield reports coming in are not as wide-ranging.

Harvest progress on soybeans nearly doubled from last week and corn progress is ahead of the five-year average.

Nearly a quarter of corn and soybeans have been harvested for 2023.

A calibrated monitor usually does a good job of telling you where yield is changing in a field within a hybrid, but it may not tell you exactly how one hybrid is yielding against another.

Fall is a great time for farmers to plant cover crops to improve soil health.

Bottom to top? Top to bottom? Farm mechanic Dan Anderson explains the ideal method.

USDA's weekly crop progress report shows harvest progress slightly behind average for corn and soybeans.

Reel settings influence grain loss and groundspeed. Take the time to get them right.

Specialists from Bane-Welker Equipment and Co-Alliance share adjustments to make during harvest to set up for a successful planting season.

Yields can take a 5-bu.-per-acre hit as a result of the sickle running so high on stems it cuts off branches and allows them to fall below the deck. Losses can be reduced to 1 bu. per acre with header adjustments.

The data collected by the FS agronomists, including estimated yield and number of locations sampled, is uploaded to the FS Agronomy Yield Analyzer.

Ken Ferrie expects yields to climb as Illinois farmers start harvesting more of their May-planted corn. Looking ahead, he says farmers will see some challenges from herbicide carryover in 2024.

The only way to increase bushels per ear is to document results in the fall and make changes next season, which involves scouting before and during harvest, analyzing results and drafting your plan.

Lots of grain can drop through even small holes in the trough beneath cross augers on corn and bean heads. Here are 4 options to repair holes, some good, some merely a stopgap.

Don’t overlook the “middleman” in pre-season prep. Here are 4 wear points to check

A new generation of portable, battery-powered air compressors fit behind the seat of a pickup.

Some farmers in central Illinois are making yield estimates of 250 to 270 bushels per acre. Ken Ferrie says in many of those cases a more realistic estimate, though disappointing, would be in the 170 to 220 range.