Corn sets FIRST record in dry year

Nov 23, 2023

In a year dominated by headlines of drought, some fields were setting records.

The Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) corn sites saw two plots post more than 300 bushels to the acre in 2023, led by the site in Postville, Iowa, finishing with a 314.4 bushel per acre average — the highest ever seen in a FIRST yield trial.

The site in Thomson, Illinois, was the other high yielder with an average of 305 bu./acre and is the second-highest average in FIRST yield tests. This is the 27th year for these trials.

“Pretty much all the corn went into the ground in ideal conditions,” said Jason Beyers, FIRST manager who oversaw both the high-yield fields in northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois. “Soil conditions and weather were extremely favorable. Emergence was phenomenal.”

The overall performance of hybrids throughout the region was strong, Beyers said, with most people getting better-than-expected yields in corn. He said that is a testament to how much genetics have improved.

“They are breeding them better for the extreme conditions we are seeing,” he said.

While Postville took the record, Iowa yields were strong throughout the state. In western Iowa, the test site in Webb finished at 271.1 bushels per acre, leading the region, while Lineville led southern Iowa with a 254.5 bushel average. Of the 38 Iowa sites, 12 finished above 250 bushels per acre and seven finished below 200.

“When I look back at our weather reports, I think some of the locations just caught a decent enough shower right when things started filling,” said Randy Meinsma, manager for the southern Iowa plots. “That’s what saved it. Every farmer I talked to was really surprised at what yields they were seeing.”

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.