Latest News From Corn

Growing degree days (GDDs) are a more reliable method to predict corn emergence and development than calendar days. Start calculating GDDs daily the day after planting. Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie explains.

As drought deteriorates across the U.S., it's a positive signal for growing a big crop in 2024. And analysts say if weather continues to fuel this year's crop, December corn futures could fall into the $3 range by fall.

More than 20 farm groups support the new Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience Act. The bill does not require choosing between enhanced crop insurance coverage and commodity support programs.

USDA reports 3% of the country's soybean crop is in the ground, the same as this time last year but two points ahead of the average pace. In all 10 states are reporting progress, and planting is ahead of average.

It's a tale of two extremes this year. Some farmers report they can't find soil moisture to plant into, while others are struggling just to get into their fields. Agronomist Ken Ferrie weighs in on both scenarios.

One of the biggest benefits from waiting to plant corn until conditions are ideal, is the crop emerges more uniformly and forms those picket-fence stands that deliver huge yields, says Agronomist Missy Bauer.

Along with too much moisture, high numbers of corn flea beetles are posing an early-season concern. Ferrie advises checking your Stewart’s wilt bacteria rating on hybrids. There's no treatment option for infected corn.

The second USDA Crop Progress Report of the year shows farmers are already ahead in planting the 2024 crop with six states pacing ahead of the five-year average.

Judge for yourself: Travis McCormick’s DOES IT PAY fungicide trial reaped a major yield increase.

USDA says farmers intend to plant 90 million acres of corn this year, which is lower than the trade expected prior to USDA's big Prospective Plantings report.

The March Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor found nearly 80% of those surveyed say soybeans pencils better than corn this year, but economists still increased their corn acreage projections slightly in the latest survey.

Researchers and agronomists are using a creative way to study corn plant root structures and hope it will lead to a new understanding of how below-ground root systems can impact yields and plant stress.

China canceled more wheat, but the grain markets seemed to shake off the negative news. DuWayne Bosse and Darren Frye make the case for why the lows in the grain markets may behind us.

The new 45Z tax credit passed in the Inflation Reduction Act, slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2025, means a farmer's carbon intensity score will soon be worth more, especially if your corn goes to an ethanol plant.

Just because tar spot was mostly a no-show in 2022 and 2023 doesn't mean that will be the case in 2024. Charting humidity levels can help predict if the disease will strike.

If weather stresses have you looking for ways to give your crop a stronger start this spring, consider whether a plant growth regulator could be part of the solution, especially in high-yield environments.

Weather and prices are dictating acreage decisions in the Northern Plains this spring. So what are producers planning to plant?

Reports say China has purchased more than 20 cargoes of feed grain in the past two weeks. Where is China buying from, and what's behind the sudden surge?

Corn growers can use this free tool to understand which hybrids have which traits, as well as evaluate insect problems and herbicide needs in-season.

USDA's Ag Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C., this past week confirmed growing stocks in 2024/2025. Analysts say without a sudden supply disruption, the commodity price outlook remains grim.

Compact corn hybrids appear to take winds 50 mph in stride with little greensnap or lodging resulting. However, yield performance hasn’t been as consistent, and technology providers are working to change that.

The product is intended for use on corn acres and is the industry’s first solid-encapsulated herbicide technology.

Ag economists have little doubt Brazil will remain the world’s top exporter of soybeans, but with potential safrinha corn production problems, economists aren't confident Brazil can hang on to the top spot in corn.

The study’s team has found inputting excessive heat and cold data into their model slowed plant growth, though the heat proved to be a larger issue for the plant. 

David Heublein won the conventional, non-irrigated category of the 2023 NCGA yield contest for the state. The amazing yield was grown with only one-third of the total rainfall his fields usually get in a growing season.

A coalition of nearly 50 ag groups are urging the Biden administration to take immediate action to open Mexican rail crossings before it's too late.

Despite weather concerns sprouting in Brazil, USDA didn’t make any major adjustments to the South American crop in Friday's reports. Increased demand from China and Mexico prompted USDA to trim U.S. ending stocks.

As a leading company in seed research and production, Brian Barker joined the AgReliant Genetics team as CEO and president mid-2023.

For a lot of farmers, 2023 was a tough growing season and Mother Nature didn't cooperate. But don't let that drive your seed-selection process for next year. Consider these five recommendations instead.

In 2023, John Smith planted cluster corn, James Hitchcock tried wide row corn and Bill Jones targeted a triple crop. How did each farmer fare?

USDA upped its corn yield estimate by nearly 2 bu. to a 174.9 bu. per acre national yield. The agency also increased its demand estimate, which softened the potential blow of such a big jump in production.

Whether you're in the middle of harvest, or already wrapped up, there are five common grain marketing mistakes farmers often make. University of Minnesota's Ed Usset says these mistakes happen throughout the year.

Moisture availability is one of the biggies to check out, says Ken Ferrie. He also details some upcoming agronomic events, like his Beyond The Basics five-part webinar series and the virtual Corn & Soybean College.

Corn and soybean prices seem stuck. So, what catalyst could it take to move commodity prices higher? There are a few, but analysts say the reality is there’s simply no story at the moment.

Farmers applying NH3 can maximize their dollars and use of the product by not applying it until soil temperatures are no more than 50 degrees and trending lower, according to Iowa State University Extension.

Ken Ferrie offers five practical agronomic tips you can use during harvest this fall. These practices can help you improve corn performance and yield outcomes across your farm.

Even though USDA slightly adjusted yields lower in the October report, the agency also cut demand, which one extension agribusiness specialist says indicates there may not be much motivation for prices to move much.

Weather woes took a huge bite out of corn yield potential this season, especially in northeast Iowa and parts of western Illinois. Where farmers got timely rains, the yield reports coming in are not as wide-ranging.

USDA's latest insights show the two companies dominated U.S. retail seed sales for the three crops from 2018 through 2020. That is the most recent period for which market estimates are available.

Researchers from UNL, Iowa State University and the China Agricultural University have done what seemed impossible a decade ago: they finished sequencing the entire corn genome, a major breakthrough for yield.

As Congress drew closer to a government shutdown, the news pressured commodity prices. The drop in commodity prices happened despite what some viewed as a fairly bullish September Grains Stocks report for corn. 

Now's the time to start making notes of tar spot pressure, field by field and hybrid by hybrid, says Missy Bauer, Farm Journal field agronomist.

The data collected by the FS agronomists, including estimated yield and number of locations sampled, is uploaded to the FS Agronomy Yield Analyzer.

Ken Ferrie expects yields to climb as Illinois farmers start harvesting more of their May-planted corn. Looking ahead, he says farmers will see some challenges from herbicide carryover in 2024.

Both Dan Basse and Chip Nellinger say considering how dry it’s been, crop yields could be falling, and USDA may be forced to make more cuts to the national yield forecasts in upcoming reports.  

Bitter blossoms sweet at Miles Farms. From father to son to brother to grandson, an annual sweet corn field has produced 1 million ears for the public.

Mizzou's Ben Brown says the 81.2 million bushels new crop export sale marks the largest week of sales for the 2023/24 marketing year to date and double the previous record weekly volume for the year set last week.

Some farmers in central Illinois are making yield estimates of 250 to 270 bushels per acre. Ken Ferrie says in many of those cases a more realistic estimate, though disappointing, would be in the 170 to 220 range.

The past four days of high heat and no moisture have taken a toll in the state with some farmers predicting corn yield lows of 140 bu. per acre. Some still anticipate 200-bu. plus yields. All they need is some rain.

Brazil briefly wore the global corn export crown in 2012 because of the U.S. drought. With the ability to churn out three corn crops per year and a supply deal with China, Brazil might be set to maintain that title.