Precipitation
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.
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.
Corn and soybean markets face uncertainty as China returns to buy U.S. soybeans, USDA acreage questions linger and weather drives price outlooks. Analysts offer grain marketing insights for farmers to navigate summer.
An unusual combination of severe hail, 88 mph winds and excessive rainfall has devastated some corn acres, while saturated fields, delayed herbicide applications and rising weed pressure threaten remaining yield potential.
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.
NOAA officially declared El Niño on Thursday and says the climate pattern has a 63% chance of reaching “very strong” status by fall, potentially shaping U.S. weather through harvest and winter.