| In the October 19,
2009, Issue: |
| By John Pocock, Corn & Soybean
Digest |
October rains and snow have been causing significant corn
harvest delays for much of the Midwest. In addition to frost damage to
some fields, higher-than-normal moisture levels are threatening to add
to both costs and potential headaches at harvest.
To help farmers cope with 2009’s high-moisture, late-harvested corn
crop, Dirk Maier, Kansas State University Extension engineer, provides
the following five corn storage tips: |
|
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| Source: University of Illinois
Extension |
On-going crop concerns could add to recent price strength in
both corn and soybeans, and higher prices should probably move pricing
strategies to less storage and more harvesttime pricing, according to
University of Illinois Economist Darrel Good.
December 2009 corn futures have increased by about 65¢/bu. from the
early September low. November 2009 soybean futures have rallied more
than $1/bu. from the low of earlier this month.
“These higher corn and soybean prices have come in the face of larger
USDA crop forecasts,” says Good. |
|
| By Jeff Coulter, University of Minnesota
Extension |
Hybrid selection is a key step for profitable corn
production. Since 1948, the average corn yield in Minnesota has
increased steadily at a rate of 2 bu./acre/year. This has been due to a
combination of improved hybrids and agronomic practices, emphasizing the
importance of hybrid selection.
When selecting corn hybrids for next year, consider the
following: |
|
| Source: Corn & Soybean Digest |
Check out the Corn & Soybean Digest’s December issue
to find out how well specific hybrids performed this year. Farmers
Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) will be providing
hybrid and yield performance data, along with other information for both
corn and soybeans from plots across the Midwest and the Delmarva
peninsula.
You can also receive the information before the December issue, by
signing up to receive F.I.R.S.T. Harvest Reports in your email. These
information reports will let you know who’s harvesting and how yields
are looking. To sign up, go to: subscribe.cornandsoybeandigest.com/subscribe.cfm?tc=NNWEB.
To access F.I.R.S.T. data online as harvest progresses, go to: cornandsoybeandigest.com/firstharverstreports/?cid=promo. |
|
| By Julie Douglas, Purdue University |
A Purdue University researcher’s motto, “No plant left
behind,” sums up his research on achieving increased grain yield for
corn at higher plant densities.
“The only way to pursue and achieve higher grain yields on a per-acre
basis at high plant densities is to make sure that every single plant
has the opportunity to compete with its neighbor in the row,” says
agronomy professor Tony Vyn. “The only way to achieve this competition
ability is to have the genetic resources, in terms of a hybrid's ability
to compete and gain access to nutrients and water.”
The results of this three-year study, which looked at approximately
4,000 individual plants each of the three years, are published in the
early online version of Agronomy Journal. |
|
| Source: University of Illinois
Extension |
Corn exports will rebound sharply during the current
marketing year, and soybean exports are expected to remain at the record
level of the 2008-2009 marketing year, according to USDA
projections.
“Corn exports during the 2009-2010 marketing year are projected at 2.2
billion bushels, 237 million below the record exports during the
2007-2008 marketing year, but 350 million above exports during the
2008-2009 marketing year,” says Darrel Good, University of Illinois
Extension economist.
“The U.S. share of the world corn export market is expected to
increase from 60% last year to 65% this year,” he adds. “A larger
U.S. share of the world export market reflects prospects for smaller
crops in the exporting countries of Canada, South Africa and China.”
In addition, total world trade of corn is expected to grow by about 275
million bushels or nearly 9%, due to smaller crops in Europe and Mexico
and growing consumption in China. |
|
| Source: University of Minnesota
Extension |
Recent freezing temperatures in much of Minnesota have ended
the growing season for most of the state’s landscape, according to
Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota (U of M) Extension climatologist.
While the outlook does not seem to be critical for the crops that have
reached maturity, some corn may be affected.
“The majority of the corn in Minnesota is at or beyond the half-milk
stage, and most of it in southern Minnesota is at or very close to
maturity,” says Jeff Coulter, a U of M Extension corn specialist. “A
hard killing frost at the half-milk stage could reduce final grain yield
by 8-12%; however, the impact of frost on corn yield decreases as the
crop gets closer to maturity,” says Coulter. “Corn is mature when
there is no visible milk line and a black layer is present just under
the tip of the kernel. For corn that is nearly mature, a killing frost
will have little impact on grain yield.” |
|
| Source: Nebraska Corn Board |
High-percentage ethanol blends provide better energy
conversion within an engine than other fuels – meaning you can travel
farther on less energy, according to a study conducted by the University
of Nebraska and funded by the Nebraska Corn Board.
“What this suggests is that the increased efficiency of ethanol has a
more positive impact as a replacement for petroleum fuel than what it is
commonly given credit for,” says Randy Klein, director of market
development for the Nebraska Corn Board.
“It also suggests that E85 may be the most efficient and often the
most cost-effective fuel for flex-fuel vehicles,” he says. “Since
E85 is also the cleanest fuel on the market and contains so little
petroleum-based gasoline, it has a very positive impact on the
environment and can significantly reduce our use of foreign oil.”
The report, which is available from the Nebraska Corn Board, says E85
improved energy conversion by 13%, 9% and 14%, respectively, when
compared to E10, for the light-, medium- and heavy-loaded vehicles
tested. |
|
| Source: National Grain and Feed
Association |
|
Onerous and burdensome recordkeeping requirements that would
be imposed under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed
renewable fuels standard (RFS-2) would add unnecessary costs and
inefficiencies to the U.S. grain-handling system, according to the
National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA). |
|
| Source: Corn & Soybean Digest |
Are you a master marketer? Or, could you benefit from
learning a few marketing lessons?
Either way, go to www.cornandsoybeandigest.com
and click on the Back To School graphic to take quizzes and exams from
Ed Usset, Corn & Soybean Digest marketing columnist. Back To
School with Ed Usset is designed to test your grain marketing knowledge,
and will help you learn while having fun.
Check it out at: cornandsoybeandigest.com/ed-usset/. |
|
| Source: Corn & Soybean Digest |
Join Corn & Soybean Digest on Facebook. Our page
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Is
EPA Anti-Corn Production?
Several recent developments now lead me to believe that the
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production agriculture – and corn ethanol in particular.
The most recent case in point is the EPA’s proposed renewable fuels
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