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Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

Growers report boom or bust conditions ahead of heat wave.

Bryce Knorr, Contributing market analyst

July 18, 2016

4 Min Read

How are 2016 corn and soybeans doing? Just as in real estate, it all depends on location, location, location. Headed into a week with temperatures topping 100 degrees again in the western Midwest, growers report widely variable conditions.

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

Growers west of the Mississippi River generally said their crops are looking pretty good in front of the heat wave. Those in Iowa, for example, reported crops in good to excellent condition after a week where most fields received above average precipitation.

“We have received timely rains and things look excellent,” said a grower near Jefferson, Iowa.

Overall, around 58% of corn acres saw above average rains last week.

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

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But there are dry pockets, including southern Wisconsin and much of the eastern Great Lakes from southern Illinois into Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Soil moisture in that part of the growing region was mostly below average, and producers sounded some ominous warnings.

“Corn is curling , no rain the last 2 weeks,” said a northwest Ohio grower. “Only one rain over two-tenths since we planted the end of May.”

For other eastern farmers the problem has been too much rain. Soil moisture is abnormally wet in parts of the Ohio River Valley. “Way too much rain,” noted a farmer west of Cincinnati. ‘Corn yellowing, beans fairing little better so far.”

Overall corn and soybean ratings from farmers slipped from the previous week’s strong showing, though most said fields are still a little better than average.

The Vegetation Health Index for both corn and soybeans improved last week, according to Farm Futures geospatial analysis. Readings are modestly above average, but projected yields are still below those used in USDA’s July 12 crop estimates. Corn yield is projected at 165.6 bpa, with soybeans at 46.3 if conditions hold.

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

Click the large green dots on the interactive map to see reports from this week, with smaller dots showing previous comments.

Click this link to give us your own Feedback.

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

Feedback From The Field - July 18, 2016

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

About the Author

Bryce Knorr

Contributing market analyst, Farm Futures

Bryce Knorr first joined Farm Futures Magazine in 1987. In addition to analyzing and writing about the commodity markets, he is a former futures introducing broker and Commodity Trading Advisor. A journalist with more than 45 years of experience, he received the Master Writers Award from the American Agricultural Editors Association.

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