Crops

The Corn Refiners Association released the 2012 Corn Annual. The publication, titled “Made in America: Corn Refined Products Help U.S. Industries Thrive,” explains how many U.S. industries are able to thrive, in part, because of the versatility, functionality and affordability of the refined corn ingredients.

“The 2012 Corn Annual serves as an excellent supplement to the data offered in NCGA’s 2012 World of Corn,” said NCGA Growers Services Action Team Chair Brandon Hunnicutt. “As NCGA serves growers by providing credible, comprehensive information about corn farming and the issues impacting farmers, CRA works diligently to give a reliable and interesting account of the incredible products made from corn through the wet milling industry.”

The report details how many of the products produced by the corn wet milling industry, such as corn starch, syrup and oil, are easily recognized ingredients used in many common foods Americans enjoy. Additionally, the publication documents how many of these same products also play a “silent” role in industrial applications.… Continue reading

As corn residue increases with grain yields, partial stover removal offers an option for growers. Corn residue increases proportionally with corn yields, creating management challenges for growers. To help address those, agronomists and scientists from DuPont Pioneer and DuPont Industrial Biosciences teamed up to conduct research on the impact of residue removal on the long-term agronomic and environmental integrity of fields. Stover is also evaluated for cellulosic ethanol production, which has benefits for both farmers and biofuel producers.

“In fields where partial stover removal is an option, a sustainable stover harvest program provides value to the grower without negatively impacting the health and productivity of the soil,” said Andy Heggenstaller, DuPont Pioneer agronomy research manager for cellulosic ethanol. “There are three primary factors we examine with growers considering stover harvest, including field productivity level, crop management practices and erosion potential.”

Individual field evaluation is necessary as stover removal is not an option for every field.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

In the wild growing season of 2012, soybeans fared much better than corn in the challenging conditions thanks to some last minute rains, said Laura Lindsey, Ohio State University soybean specialist.

“Soybeans are more flexible than corn because they set pods for a longer period of time. Soybean yields were affected, but not as much as what people expected,” Lindsey said. “I have been hearing very good yield stories out there, but maybe the people with the bad stories aren’t tell me. I have talked with several farmers hitting 85-bushel yields on their farm. I have heard about a lot of very good yields out there but there were some really bad areas, especially in northwest Ohio. There were beans that were mid-calf high in mid-July. You could see drought stress in our fields but it was not as sustained in the states to the west.

“Most of the benefit was the late season rain.… Continue reading

As always, the annual banquet of the Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio Soybean Association brought together some top agricultural leaders in the state to recognize the achievements and success for the Ohio soybean industry.

Highlights from this year included:

The presentation of the Outstanding Achievement Award to Bart and Sheryl Johnson, and the Johnson family, for their contributions to Ohio agriculture through radio, print, television and web media.

Retiring board members were also recognized. This included: Bret Davis, OSA president, Jeff Wuebker, OSA Board Member, Joe Steiner, OSA and ASA Board member, Don Ralph, OSA Board Member, Andrea Flowers-Guckes, OSA Board Member, and Mike Yeagle, OSC Board Member.

In addition, Jim Evanoff, with the National Park Service, talked about the incredible success of biodiesel in the Yellowstone National Park Service, which was the first national park to use the biofuel.… Continue reading

OHIO CROP WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

WEEK ENDING SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2012

The average temperature for the State was 41.2 degrees, 1.3 degrees above normal for the week ending Sunday, November 25, 2012. Precipitation averaged 0.04 inches, 0.64 inches below normal. There were 21 modified growing degree days, 8 days above normal. Reporters rated 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the seven-day period ending Friday, November 23, 2012. Topsoil moisture was rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus.

FIELD ACTIVITIES AND CROP PROGRESS
The fall harvest is all but wrapped up. Most activities included fall tillage, tile repair, baling corn stalks, hauling manure, applying fertilizer and herbicide, cleaning, and storing equipment for winter.
As of Sunday November 25th, 95 percent of the corn was harvested for grain, ahead of last year by 21 percent and the five-year average by 5 percent. Winter wheat fields were 94 percent emerged, seven percent ahead of last year but one percent behind the five year average.… Continue reading

By Rich Minyo, Allen Geyer, Peter Thomison and Laura Lindsey, Ohio State University

Results from the 2012 Ohio Corn Performance Test are now available on line at: 
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~perf/ or http://agcrops.osu.edu/specialists/corn. Single and multi-year agronomic data is currently available for all sites and regions for 2012. Additional information regarding the growing season, evaluation procedures and traits will be available soon. Additional hybrids will be added as marketing information becomes available, as will the combined regional tables (which are especially helpful in assessing hybrid performance across locations). The print version will be available in the mid-December issue of Ohio’s Country Journal.

The 2012 Ohio Soybean Performance Trial Results as a printable (pdf) file of results in now also available at: http://agcrops.osu.edu/specialists/soybean/specialist-announcements/2012%20OCJ%20Report-SB%207%20pages.pdf and the searchable sortable web page should be available next week at http://hostedweb.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/perf/

The purpose of the Ohio Soybean Performance Trial is to evaluate soybean varieties for yield and other agronomic characteristics.… Continue reading

By Dave Nanda, Director of Genetics and Technology 
Seed Consultants, Inc.

Drought not only affected our crops this year, it has the potential of affecting crops in 2013 also. In this space we have already discussed that all of the nitrogen, potash and phosphate may not have been used if your yields were low. This could be a potential cost saving by reducing the amount of certain fertilizers needed. However, on the negative side, there is a potential danger of herbicide carryover that could hurt your crops if effective measures are not taken. 
If you did not get sufficient rains to wash down the residual herbicides, these could hurt wheat, soybeans and corn depending on the herbicides, time of application and amount used. Purdue Extension Weed Scientists, Bill Johnson and Travis Legleiter have given the following cautions and potential solutions:

• Watch out for atrazine carryover damage to wheat.

• If you applied a fomesafen product to soybeans this summer and did not get sufficient rains following application, there is a potential of injury to wheat.… Continue reading

By Matt Reese

The devastation of the 2012 drought may have left some farmers preferring to watch the endless stream of political attack ads on television instead of the dismal displays on their yield monitors. In many cases, it will be a crop year to remember for the surprises.

There were certainly plenty of surprises for Jeff Heimerl, who farms with his family on their Licking County livestock and crop operation. The weather offered surprises in the form of the blast of late June wind, the worst drought in 50 years and soggy harvest conditions courtesy of a superstorm called Sandy. The surprising weather led to some surprises at harvest.

“The corn yield was down 30 or 40 bushels from what we would call normal, but the beans were actually pretty close to normal yields, and that was kind of surprising,” Heimerl said. “Harvest started early but then the hurricane weather slowed things down.… Continue reading

The fourth annual Ohio Grain Farmers Symposium (OGFS) will be held on Thursday, December 13 at the Roberts Centre and Holiday Inn in Wilmington. Grain farmers throughout the state will have the opportunity to hear about the latest agricultural issues impacting their operations.

Online registration is now open. Visit www.ohiograinfarmerssymposium.org to sign up today or call the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) at 888-769-6446.

Topics discussed during the general session will include a legislative update, overview of the current Renewable Fuel Standard and a presentation from a nationally known climatologist regarding past, present and future weather trends.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout sessions.

On-site registration opens at 7:30 a.m. and the early bird marketing report will begin at 9:00 a.m.  A full OGFS agenda will be announced soon and will be available online at www.ohiograinfarmerssymposium.org.

The OGFS is held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association (OCWGA) and OSA, which will take place immediately following the close of the symposium.… Continue reading

Many corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers from around the country are already gearing up for their annual trip to the Commodity Classic. The 2013 Commodity Classic, taking place Feb. 28 to March 2 in Kissimmee, Fla.

Commodity Classic is the nation’s largest farmer led and farmer focused conference and trade show that is presented annually by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers. The event offers a wide range of learning and networking opportunities for growers in the areas of production, policy, marketing, management and stewardship — as well as showcasing the latest in equipment, technology and innovation.

Registration and housing reservations for the 2013 Commodity Classic has opened online and hotel rooms expected to book fast. The 2013 Commodity Classic will make use of two first-class venues, each within a free, five-minute shuttle ride of each other. Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center will be the site for the General Session, trade show and educational sessions.… Continue reading

The United States remains the world’s corn export king, although its empire is shrinking, said a Purdue University agricultural economist.

Foreign nations that previously relied on the U.S. for corn are growing more of their own or buying from other producing countries, said Philip Abbott. He predicted the trend will continue even if market conditions improve and U.S. corn production increases.

“The U.S. has historically been a very important part of the international corn market,” Abbott said. “Prior to the 2007-08 food crisis and spike in commodity prices, the U.S. exported well over half the amount of corn that entered international markets. Since then, the high prices have caused the rest of the world to expand their production and become more self-sufficient.

“Even if we get bigger corn crops in the future, it’s likely that the demand in foreign markets will not soon recover to the level that it once reached.”… Continue reading

While many of the largest farm bill programs, including those for nutrition and commodities, have some continued funding, the October farm bill expiration expiration effectively halts new enrollment for programs that help drive innovation, support the next generation of farmers, conserve our natural resources, and invest in local economic development.

“Congress failed to do its job when it allowed the Farm Bill to expire,” said MacKenzie Bailey, Policy Program Coordinator for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA). “It’s time they get down to business and pass an equitable and sustainable Farm Bill–one that addresses rural job creation, training opportunities for beginning farmers, natural resource conservation, and access to healthy, organic food,” said Bailey.

One of the Farm Bill programs at stake is the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), which invests in beginning farmers by helping them access land, credit, and crop insurance; launch and expand new farms and businesses; and receive training, mentoring, and education.  … Continue reading

OHIO CROP WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

WEEK ENDING SUNDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2012

The average temperature for the State was 38.7 degrees, 2.1 degrees below normal for the week ending Sunday, November 18, 2012. Precipitation averaged 0.50 inches, 0.12 inches below normal. There were 11 modified growing degree days, 5 days below normal. Reporters rated 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the seven-day period ending Friday, November 16, 2012. Topsoil moisture was rated 2 percent very short, 11 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 23 percent surplus.

FIELD ACTIVITIES AND CROP PROGRESS

The fall harvest is winding down to a close. Recent rains have restored surface moisture, but the subsoil is still very dry. Pastures are still in relatively poor condition and some livestock producers have begun feeding hay. Most activities included fall tillage, hauling grain, hauling manure, applying fertilizer and herbicide, cleaning, and storing equipment for winter.

As of Sunday November 18th, 90 percent of the corn was harvested for grain, ahead of last year by 26 percent and the five-year average by 7 percent.… Continue reading

By Dave Nanda, Seed Consultants, Inc.

We generally look at the major or macronutrients like nitrogen, potash, phosphate, calcium and sulfur in our soil tests but not much attention is paid to the micronutrients like iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron etc. These are called micronutrients not because they are less important but because they are needed in very small amounts by the plants. Deficiency or excess of any of these elements can affect the yield of our crops. Lighter sandy soils, low organic matter or high pH soils generally have a shortage of these elements. These nutrients become even more important as we try to go for higher yields. By the time you see the deficiency symptoms in your crop, it may be too late to do anything about it. So what should you do? Here are a few pointers that may be of help:

• Conduct soil and tissue tests every year.… Continue reading

The fourth annual Ohio Grain Farmers Symposium (OGFS) will be held on Thursday, December 13 at the Roberts Centre and Holiday Inn in Wilmington. Grain farmers throughout the state will have the opportunity to hear about the latest agricultural issues impacting their operations.

Online registration is now open. Visit www.ohiograinfarmerssymposium.org to sign up today or call the Ohio Soybean Association (OSA) at 888-769-6446.

Topics discussed during the general session will include a legislative update, overview of the current Renewable Fuel Standard and a presentation from a nationally known climatologist regarding past, present and future weather trends.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout sessions.

On-site registration opens at 7:30 a.m. and the early bird marketing report will begin at 9:00 a.m.  A full OGFS agenda will be announced soon and will be available online at www.ohiograinfarmerssymposium.org.

The OGFS is held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association (OCWGA) and OSA, which will take place immediately following the close of the symposium.… Continue reading

While ear mold is always a concern in late-harvested corn, growers who find blackish mold in their fields on corn husks may not have ears that are infested with grain-damaging and toxin-contaminated mold. Rather, the mold could be a variety that may only impact the husks, according to an Ohio State University

Extension plant pathologist.

But growers won’t know what kind of ear mold the fields may be infested with unless they examine the moldy-looking ears and send samples to a lab for testing, said Pierce Paul, who is also a researcher with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

The concern for ear mold is higher than normal for some growers this year thanks to the drought, which created the right conditions for the development of the fungal disease Aspergillus ear rot in some Ohio fields during the summer, Paul said.

“Harvests that were delayed due to excessively wet conditions in areas that were affected by the drought during the summer and had problems with aflatoxin are of concern since delaying harvest may also increase aflatoxin contamination,” he said.… Continue reading

The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) is one of the recipients of the 2012 Experiment Station Section Award of Excellence in Multistate Research for its work to rapidly address the threat of soybean rust to U.S. agricultural production.

The annual award is given by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in recognition of successful, well-coordinated, high-impact, multi-institution research efforts. It was presented Nov. 11 at APLU’s annual awards program in Denver.

OARDC scientists earned the award along with colleagues from more than 30 U.S. and Canadian land-grant universities, federal agencies and industry associations involved in the project, officially called NCERA (North Central Extension and Research Activity)-208 “Response to Emerging Soybean Rust Threat.”

“This award recognizes the fact that our multistate research network enables the land-grant colleges of agriculture to rapidly mobilize to meet and address research needs on emerging threats, as well as to coordinate research activities on priority regional and national topics,” said OARDC Director Steve Slack, who is also administrative adviser of the winning project.… Continue reading

OHIO CROP WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

WEEK ENDING SUNDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2012

The average temperature for the State was 42.8 degrees, 0.9 degrees below normal for the week ending Sunday, November 11, 2012. Precipitation averaged 0.08 inches, 0.69 inches below normal. There were 25 modified growing degree days, 4 days above normal. Reporters rated 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the seven-day period ending Friday, November 9, 2012. Topsoil moisture was rated 2 percent very short, 11 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus.

FIELD ACTIVITIES AND CROP PROGRESS

After heavy rains from the previous week, the weather cleared up and allowed producers to get into their fields. Most activities included fall tillage, hauling grain, hauling manure, applying fertilizer, cleaning, and storing equipment for winter. A few producers were still trying to find forage for livestock by chopping corn fodder, grass, or even late-planted green soybeans.
As of Sunday November 11th, 83 percent of the corn was harvested for grain, ahead of last year by 37 percent and the five-year average by 10 percent.… Continue reading

Ever wonder whether it’s worth it to apply a fungicide? How about the most cost-effective seeding rate? The national soy checkoff has put that information in the palm of your hand.

A new app developed by the United Soybean Board (USB) includes two calculators that help farmers plan for their next crop. One helps users determine whether the yield benefits of various input combinations justify the costs. The other uses the main maturity rates for a farmer’s region, the cost of soybean seed and an estimated price of the soybeans at the time of sale to determine an optimal seeding rate based on a percentage of return.

The app also includes documents and videos that describe the research behind each tool.

“This is a really easy way for farmers to get an idea about seeding rates for soybeans based on both the cost of the seed and the price of the harvested grain,” said Seth Naeve, lead investigator and associate professor of agronomy and plant genetics, University of Minnesota.… Continue reading

By Ty Higgins, Ohio Ag Net

Brazil may replace the drought-impacted U.S. as the world’s top producer of soybeans for the 2012-2013 harvest season. It’s still just a forecast, but Brazil’s expected 2012-2013 soybean production could top that of the U.S. for the first time ever.

“It appears at this point that Brazil is postured to alone exceed soybean production in the U.S.,” said Gerald Bange, World Ag Outlook Board Chair. “Historically we’ve always had to look at it as Brazil and Argentina.”

USDA’s latest forecast puts Brazil soybean production at 81 million metric tons this harvest year versus 77.8 million tons for the U.S. Bange says the traditional buyers are keeping a close eye on the situation.

“Major importers like China are looking at it and saying that things are looking good down there for the moment,” Bange said. “We’ve always known, given the tight situation of both corn and soybeans in the U.S.,… Continue reading