Yield

Jon Scheve with Scheve Grain says corn and soybeans were seeing a technical bounce Tuesday with corn getting some extra help from early yield reports which are showing lower production than a year ago due to disease pressure, especially Southern Rust.

Agronomic specialists are encouraging farmers to make their corn harvest plans now, prioritizing which fields to combine first and so forth. Evaluating how well the crop is standing on a field by field basis can help you plan the process and minimize having to pick up down corn.

A prematurely collapsing ear shank stops grain fill, leading to yield reductions that can reach as high as 40%.

The onset of drought and disease are causing growing concerns about the size of the U.S. corn and soybean crops this year. Analysts caution while the crops may be going backward in terms of yield, it’s possible USDA actually raises its yield estimates in the September report.

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.

USDA doesn’t survey actual fields until next month, which means Pro Farmer Crop Tour is the first time scouts, across a wide geography, will actually step into fields and see if the crop is as good as it looks from the road.

One concern cited is that USDA tends to aim too high with its August yield estimates, based on what the data shows from the past decade. The other concern is how strong demand will be, given corn carryover projections.

Corn yield estimates in seven counties surrounding the community of Bloomington indicate farmers there will harvest an average crop, at best. That’s counter to what USDA predicts for Illinois yield results statewide.

Short-stature corn is often planted at higher populations because its architecture allows for better light interception and more efficient use of resources when plants are grown closer together. But that’s not always the case, according to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Camaraderie is cathartic. It lifts spirits, gives encouragement and reminds all of us we are valuable. Check out what farmers have to say about this year’s corn crop – the good, the bad and the in-between – and may their experiences lighten your load in the process.