News

Beck’s agronomist discusses crop conditions in the Eastern Corn Belt

Beck’s Regional Agronomy Manager Steve Gauck says corn conditions vary across the Eastern Corn Belt.

“There’s some fantastic corn out there and then obviously we have some areas that have suffered a pretty severe drought,” he says. “And then we have areas where farmers think they’re okay and then find tip back or, maybe they have less kernels. The crop is average, maybe better than average is most areas.  It’s not going to be the record crop we had last year, but there is still a lot of potential to it with some of these rains from a corn standpoint.”

He tells Brownfield there’s some room for improvement in soybeans.

“Late rains make soybeans, so August and September rains are really important. I think there’s a lot of potential left in soybeans, but there are some areas where we were stressed in pod development,” he says. “As we walk fields, let’s start setting expectations. I still think there is potential there, but it’s not the crop we had last year.”

Brownfield interviewed Gauck during the 2022 Becknology Days in Atlanta, Indiana.

Gauck led a presentation on foliar feeding and discussed the correct growth stage foliar products should be applied. He also participated in an agronomist panel, answering farmer questions varying from sudden death syndrome concerns in soybeans and tar spot concerns in corn to fungicide and nitrogen application and harvest.