Feedback From The Field-July 8, 2019

How many acres of corn and soybeans did you plant this spring? How many wound up taking prevent plant coverage? We’re asking growers about what really happened in their fields this year. Click the Feedback From The Field reporting form and give us your first-hand account on this decision along with how your crops are faring.

Use the interactive map below that’s updated frequently to see all this year’s reports just by clicking the flagged locations. Click the box in the upper left-land corner of the map to bring up an index of what the different colors of the markers signify and to toggle the week’s reports on and off.

USDA updates its forecast of production, supply and demand on July 11. But the agency’s estimates for the corn and soybean crops will be mere statistical guesses. The real story of the 2019 growing season may take months to emerge.

Both yields and acreage are big question marks this year, according to farmers posting Feedback From The Field. Growers continue rating crops behind those from USDA Crop Progress report participants. And their reports of prevent plant suggest USDA’s June 28 acreage estimates for corn, and perhaps soybeans, may be too optimistic.

The extent of problems this year began in some areas last fall, then intensified in the wake of the “bomb cyclone” in March. Several growers filling their acreage reports from Missouri were caught in that historic event.

Another producer near the Platte River in Central Nebraska said ethanol plants in the region are pushing bids trying to source corn, but not finding much left in farmers’ bins.

The producer was pessimistic about yield potential after a challenging start.

“Can’t seem to get ahead this year,” was the post. “Lots of poor looking corn and pp down here along the river. Have never seen a crop just keeps on struggling. Gonna be a very short crop here especially if we get a normal frost. This crop just won’t make it.”

Overall, farmers filing condition reports last week downgraded corn and soybeans slightly. While the percent of their crops rated poor or very poor declined, the top end of good and excellent was also lower.

Still, despite the poor shape many fields are in, crops in some areas held their own. A farmer in southeast Minnesota who put rated corn and beans in good shape admitted his surprise. “Wettest fields I’ve ever seen but most acres still look good,” was the judgement.

Source: Bryce Knorr, Farm Futures