Click the large green dots on the interactive map to see reports from this week, with the larger orange dots showing last week’s comments. Note that the map may need to be refreshed to display all the locations.

More concerns surfaced about the status of the 2016 corn crop this week, according to farmers providing Feedback From The Field. Their overall assessment of conditions rated the crop slightly below average, though the deterioration was not as large as noted for corn during the first week of August.

More concerns surfaced about the status of the 2016 corn crop this week, according to farmers providing Feedback From The Field.

USDA crop ratings aggressed with that lower corn assessment in Monday’s crop report, but the decline this week may not be enough to trim ratings in Monday’s report. The latest Vegetation Health Index for both corn and soybeans showed marked improvement this week, reflecting good improvement in Iowa.

The VHI translates into a yield of 170.5 bpa for corn and 47.8 bpa for soybeans, both above normal. Though much of Illinois, northern Indiana and Michigan missed rains, fields elsewhere benefited from increased moisture. Still uncertain is whether those rains become too much of a good thing in the coming week, when totals in some areas could top 10 inches according to this morning’s forecasts.

Farmers say they need rain – just not that much.

“Getting very dry,” noted a grower in northern Indiana, who rated his fields only average.

“We really need a rain to keep the corn from pulling back on the ears,” added a producer in Missouri.

So-called “tip back” was a big discussion topic this week around the Midwest, and producers shared their observations.

“Too hot during pollination, excessive ear tip back,” said a Minnesota grower. “Been doing ear calculations, yield will be right at average. Soybeans have great potential, too early to guess yield.”

But not all the news was bad. Crops were maturing faster than normal after warm but not excessively hot July.

“Corn planted April 15th has a retreating milk line, should black layer in the next 3 weeks,” reported an Iowa farmer. “Big ears with 18 to 20 rows around.”

Click this link to give us your own Feedback.

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 8, 2016 - Farmers say corn crop looks average, not great

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 3, 2016 - Farmers say don't judge the crop from the road

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 1, 2016 - Growers sound more optimistic about crops

Feedback from the Field - July 25, 2016 - Corn, soybean crops improve despite blast of heat

Feedback from the Field - July 20, 2016 - Heat backs West, but growers in East are worried

Feedback from the Field - July 18, 2016 - Growers report boom or bust conditions ahead of heat wave

Feedback from the Field - July 11, 2016 - Rains help improve corn and soybean conditions as heat wave approaches

Feedback from the Field - June 30, 2016 - Crop conditions ease as corn enters crucial test

Feedback from the Field - June 27, 2016 - Many areas still short of rain

Feedback from the Field - June 17, 2016 - Wheat looks great, but corn and soybeans start to wilt in the heat

Feedback from the Field - June 13, 2016 - Crops off to good start, but need rain

Feedback from the Field - June 8, 2016 - Growers say heat will help some crops, hurt others.

Feedback from the Field - June 6, 2016 - Crops improve, but growers see too much or too little rain

Feedback from the Field - May 31, 2016 - Corn slowly improves ahead of first USDA ratings

Feedback from the Field - May 25, 2016 - Goldilocks spring hard to find in Corn Belt

Feedback from the Field - May 23, 2016 - Corn Belt dries out a little as mid-May deadline arrives

Feedback from the Field - May 18, 2016 - Growers worry about frost damage from weekend's chill

Feedback from the Field - May 14, 2016 - Growers hope to get back into the field

Feedback from the Field - May 13, 2016 - Planting delays grab market's attention

Feedback from the Field - May 11, 2016 - It's deju vu all over again as wet weather continues

Feedback from the Field - May 9, 2016 - Weather challenges farmers in eastern Midwest

Feedback from the Field - May 3, 2016 - Growers say wet weather stalls planting

Feedback from the Field - May 2, 2016 - Some crops off to slow start as wet and cold hamper planting