Brownfield » Crops

Risk of soybean rust low in Indiana

Dave Russell — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:51:11 +0000

For most of the Indiana soybean crop, the potential for soybean rust in 2010 is relatively low, but Kiersten Wise, assistant professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University says that doesn’t mean soybean rust won’t be a problem in 2011.

“This disease behaves differently every year in the United States, so we have to monitor it carefully each year,” Wise said.

Monsanto to lay off 700 employees

Ken Anderson — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:57:30 +0000

Monsanto is eliminating as many as 700 additional jobs as the company continues a restructuring of its Roundup herbicide business. That according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Monsanto also announced that its fiscal year earnings will be at the low end of previous forecast.

Early start to harvest

Dave Russell — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:09:12 +0000

For Keith Willett who farms just west of Ladoga, Indiana in southern Montgomery County, the 2009 harvest got underway on September 11th, his 2010 harvest got underway on August 27th, the earliest ever for Willett.

Last year Keith’s soybeans averaged 55 to 60 bushels per acre, this year his early soybeans are below that.

“I’m getting around 45 to 50 on my early beans,” said Willett. “The test weight’s been 56-57, which is pretty good,.”

Willett tells Brownfield his late planted soybeans look better than the early planted, but how they’ll yield, he says he’ll have to wait to see what the yield monitor says.

AUDIO: Keith Willett, Ladoga, IN (3:10 MP3)

Survey finds acreage increases for 2011 crops

Ken Anderson — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:24:13 +0000

An early survey of farmers’ planting intentions for 2011 indicates increased plantings of corn, soybeans and wheat for next year.

The Farm Futures survey found corn acres could increase almost two percent, to 89-point-five million acres. It also shows soybean acreage setting another record in 2011, with farmers ready to plant 79-point-six million acres.

The survey also sees a rebound in winter wheat acres, up 10 percent over last year. Spring wheat and durum acreage are expected to be steady with last year. However, Farm Futures’ editors cautioned that the final winter wheat acreage could change. They point to dry conditions in the South and Ohio River Valley which could hinder soft red winter wheat seedings. And they say, despite good moisture levels on the Plains, hard red winter wheat acreage could be restrained by the weak basis in the cash market.

Pioneer to add research center in NW Iowa

Ken Anderson — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:33:43 +0000

Pioneer Hi-Bred says it will open a new corn research center in northwest Iowa.

The company says the new research facility will be located in Orange City and will provide expanded development and testing of new commercial corn hybrids for northwest Iowa, northeast Nebraska, southeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota. Pioneer expects to break ground for the facility early this fall and to begin operations in the spring of 2011.

Nebraska’s corn crop matures ahead of average

Ken Anderson — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:29:32 +0000

That latest crop progress report from USDA shows 70 percent of Nebraska’s corn crop has reached the dent stage. That’s well ahead of 50 percent last year at this time and also ahead of the 64 percent average for this time of year. Some first-planted fields of corn are considered mature.

Soybean maturation is running a little behind normal. Six percent of the beans are turning color, compared to the 12 percent average. Sorghum turning color is at 39 percent, near the 38 average.

Winter wheat seeding is underway, but USDA says it was slow to advance due to grasshopper concerns in western parts of the state.

Responding to VeraSun

Dave Russell — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:51:53 +0000

Corn farmers who may have received a letter over the weekend from VeraSun asking for repayment of funds due to “bankruptcy preference,” the Illinois Corn Growers Association and National Corn Growers Association have a one-page guide to responding.

The guide is not intended to be legal advice and corn farmers are encouraged to talk with an attorney if additional information is needed.

Conditions improve with cooler weather in South Carolina

Bob Meyer — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:50:26 +0000

Scattered showers slowed the harvest in some parts of South Carolina last week. The weekly crop progress report from the National Ag Statistics Service South Carolina field office says the cooler temperature did improve crop and livestock conditions a bit.

Nearly all of the corn crop is mature and 43 percent has been harvested, about normal for this date. The crop is rated 45 percent fair, 29 percent good and 2 percent excellent condition.

94 percent of the cotton has set bolls and 12 percent have bolls open, slightly behind the five-year average for this date. The condition of the crop did improve a bit last week with 26 percent rated fair, 64 percent good and 8 percent excellent.

The peanut crop has completed pegging and is rated 22 percent fair, 68 percent good and 9 percent excellent condition.

86 percent of the tobacco has been harvested and 40 percent of producers have destroyed stalks. Watermelon and cantaloupe harvest is complete and the peach harvest is just about finished.

96 percent of the soybeans are bloomed and 80 percent have set pods. Only 2 percent have set pods and some growers report the pods are not setting properly due to the heat early in the season. The beans are rated 29 percent fair, 58 percent good and 6 percent excellent condition.

Pasture conditions improved with the cooler weather last week now 36 percent fair, 51 percent good and 2 percent excellent condition. Livestock condition improved as well now 70 percent good and 2 percent in excellent shape.

Illinois remains dry

Dave Russell — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:30:58 +0000

Temperatures moderated across the Land of Lincoln last week, but it remained dry and that allowed Illinois corn and soybeans to develop ahead of normal.

According to the Illinois field office of the National Ag Statistics Service, corn has advanced to 87 percent dented and 34 percent of the crop is mature, corn harvest as of Sunday was 2 percent complete.

Looking at soybeans, 22 percent are turning yellow and 5 percent of the crop is shedding leaves.

13 percent of Illinois pastures are in poor to very poor condition.

Topsoil moisture in Illinois, 39 percent short to very short.

Southern Missouri shows continued impact from dry conditions

John Perkins — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:23:01 +0000

A dry week across most of Missouri allowed for the completion of hay harvest and the start of corn silage harvest, but precipitation is needed to help fill out beans and revive pastures. In particular, the southern third of the state has been hit very hard by dry conditions. Across the state, there were an average of 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork, 51% of the state has adequate topsoil moisture and 56% of subsoil has adequate moisture. However in that southern third of the state, counties report 76% to 97% of soil is short to very short of moisture.

34% of corn is mature, with 48% in good to excellent condition, while 86% of soybeans are at the pod setting stage, with 45% rated good to excellent.

39% of pastures and rangelands are in good to excellent shape, with 81% of the state reporting adequate stock water.

The hay supply is reported at 71% adequate, but the south-central district reports supply as 56% short to very short.