August's showers give corn belt a breather

Aug 18, 2023

August's second week brought a sigh of relief to the corn belt. Rains, especially heavier in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, quenched the region’s thirst to an extent. However, the north received only light showers.

The temperatures were mild, marking this period as the 13th coolest second week of August in the last three decades. This climate, combined with the received rain, helped to curb evapotranspiration, which is a boon for crops.

But it’s not all sunny news. The United States Drought Monitor observed positive changes in regions like southern Iowa, central Nebraska, and parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The central Corn Belt, though, remains gripped by drought, longing for persistent, heavy downpours.

The upcoming forecast for the third week of August is a mixed bag. It starts wet but is then followed by drier days, with rain possibly returning by week’s end. It's predicted to be among the coolest and driest third weeks of August in decades.

Although temperatures are expected to be around average levels, by the end of the week, a heatwave could affect the southern regions. Despite low soil moisture levels in the centre, mild temperatures may alleviate crop stress.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.