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How well are corn and soybean plants growing this year?

How well are corn and soybean plants growing this year?

Hot and humid temperatures with a heat index close to 100F are having an impact!

 

The USDA says that the portion of the U.S. corn crop that is in ‘good to excellent condition’ is about 73%, with ‘poor to very poor’ conditions reported only for about 5% of the corn crop.  USDA also reports that corn silking is at 4% vs. 7% average for this point in the growing season.

By contrast the USDA says soybeans are 14% blooming vs. the average of 11% for this point in the growing season, and soybean conditions are 71% good to excellent and 5% of soybean crops is poor to very poor.

However, the USDA does not report on the size of either the corn or the soybean plants.  Moe Agostino, Chief Commodity Strategist, Farms.com Risk Management and host of the 2020 9th Annual U.S. Corn Belt Crop Tour has completed 9 days out of a total of 19 days and travelled through 7 out of 12 U.S. Midwest states from June 27th – July 5th, 2020. Agostino reports that the corn and soybean plants that he has seen so far on his tour are anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks behind in terms of plant size for this time of year.

2020-Corn-crop-tour-images

Agostino has travelled through southern Indiana, north into central Illinois and then south again in that state. He then travelled west into Missouri and Kansas before heading North again into Nebraska and South Dakota.   

The Commodity Strategist reports that he has encountered a rainstorm every day of the tour so far, and that it has been hot and humid with temperatures and the heat index close to 100F, even in the Western Corn Belt.

“Over the nine years I have conducted the tour, I have never witnessed 100-degree temperatures this early on tour, as we would normally have to wait until Kansas or the Western Corn Belt to have temperatures this high. The weather does not seem right?”

Agostino says, “there seems to be a lot of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ with more ‘haves’ so far and conditions have held for now.”  Agostino indicates the pendulum could be swinging to more ‘have nots’ as the growing season unfolds and the weather turns hot and dry in July.  Very little precipitation is in the forecast for the first half of the month.

The 2020 planting season began earlier than 2019, but it was not ideal with many farmers interviewed during the tour reporting that it was cold and wet.  Some farmers were hit with frost the 1st week of May and it did not turn hot and dry until June.  Despite this challenge, all acres were planted, so there will be less prevent plant acres vs. 2019. This resulted in short and delayed corn crops by July 1 and in some cases the soybean plants are higher than corn because the farmer could not plant corn, and so decided to plant soybeans earlier as they are less susceptible to cold weather.

Despite the heat, the timely rains have created lush, green heathy crops with no soil moisture or crop/disease stress in many areas, but there was moisture stress in central South Dakota (Brown County), some weed pressure in Nebraska and ‘pineapple’ corn in Kansas showing heat stress.

Often considered the “garden spot” by the industry, Agostino reports that the Western Corn Belt is not much better than the Eastern Corn Belt, other than in Nebraska. In fact, in North Dakota, despite challenges planting, the crops are looking good for the most part and 60F nighttime weather and 80F daytime weather is perfect corn growing weather.

Agostino reports that “corn plants are much shorter than I expected for this time of the year with a lot more ankle high corn than I was expecting in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.  In 2019, the commodity trade was worried about short soybean plants and in 2020 they will need to get worried about both short corn and soybean plants.”

The soybean plant growth has been stunted by the heat and lack of rainfall in many regions. Less than 1% of corn and soybean acres were canopied by the longest day of the year June 21, 2020!

Despite the observations thus far, Agostino says yield potentials remains strong if good conditions can be maintained. 

Follow the 9th Annual U.S. Corn Belt Crop Tour on Twitter @FarmsMarketing #cornbelt20.

For more information about Farms.com Risk Management, visit: https://riskmanagement.farms.com/.


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Why Rob Saik is Trying to Build the World’s Most Connected Agriculture Network

Video: Why Rob Saik is Trying to Build the World’s Most Connected Agriculture Network

In a recent interview at the SeedLink Conference in Brandon, Man., Rob Saik, author, speaker, and CEO of AGvisorPRO, took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the beginnings of his career and what the future holds.

Graduating from the University of Alberta in 1983, Saik embarked on a journey that started in Brandon, Man. “I got a job with Elanko, got a U-Haul truck, threw everything I had into it, drove to the Victoria Inn, and lived there for three months while they tried to find an apartment for me to move into. So I started my career in Brandon,” Saik shared.

Fast forward to the present, Saik has evolved into an accomplished author and speaker, traversing the globe to engage in high-level discussions about the future of agriculture and the critical role it plays in feeding the world. Yet, despite his global presence, he finds himself back in Brandon, addressing a group of seed growers. But why? Saik emphasizes the fundamental importance of seeds, stating, “It all begins with a seed, doesn’t it?”

Reflecting on his own experiences as a farmer, Saik expresses his excitement when a planted seed germinates and evolves into a thriving crop. He underscores the significance of technology and breeding in seed development, recognizing the crucial role they play in ensuring farmers can propagate seeds, grow profitable crops, and contribute to global food security.

Saik delves into the challenges faced by the agricultural community, particularly the rapid pace of technological advancements. He believes that the key lies in connecting farmers to experts swiftly, boosting farmers’ confidence in adopting new technologies, and ensuring the timely implementation of these advancements. According to Saik, this approach is crucial for steering agriculture towards sustainability and profitability.

As Saik works on his upcoming book, tentatively titled prAGmatic, he sheds light on its central theme. “The thesis would be that I want to write a book that takes what the consumer wants, challenges what the consumer believes, and positions that against what the farmers can actually do pragmatically,” he explains. The book aims to bridge the gap between consumer expectations and the realistic capabilities of farmers, promoting sustainable intensification as the necessary path to feed the planet.

Looking ahead to 2024, Saik emphasizes the need for enhanced connectivity within the seed industry. He discusses his platform, AgvisorPro, which is designed to facilitate connections between farmers, experts, and companies in a way that transcends conventional social media platforms. Saik envisions a credible, connected agricultural network that goes beyond the noise of platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.

In a passionate vision for the future, Saik imagines a tool for teachers that allows them to pose questions from students, answered by verified farmers and ranchers. This, he believes, would provide an authentic and valuable educational resource, connecting classrooms with individuals who truly understand the intricacies of agriculture.

 

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