Corn and Soybean Digest

Barb Baylor Anderson

Articles by Barb Baylor Anderson

It came as no surprise to Tim Mundorf last fall that many post-harvest corn stalk test samples contained high levels of nitrogen (N). The field representative for Midwest Laboratories in Omaha, Neb., says dry weather and poor yields are reminders of how much N can go unused by corn plants in a drought. The lesson to be learned is that you should test under all conditions as part of a long-term, successful N management plan.

FFA Plots Seek Better Soybeans 1

A fresh look at preplant soybean management strategies may offer more yield potential. The top two student teams in last year's Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) yield challenge harvested a few more bushels by stressing root health and amending the soil.

Farming is a Global Driver | Food Resource Among 7 Key Revolutions

Global changes in 2050 may come more quickly and urgently and expand exponentially. That's the assessment of Scott Aughenbaugh, fellow, Seven Revolutions Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C. Agriculture could play a pivotal role within what he calls the seven drivers of change, he says.

Question Fungicide Use

If you’ve gotten into the habit of using foliar fungicides in corn simply to boost plant health and yields, you may want to reconsider. Research by Midwest university crop specialists confirms disease risk conditions should be the overriding reason to evaluate the costs and benefits associated with any corn fungicide applications.

Farm Transition Surprises

Chris Hayes never thought just one of nine in the next generation would want to return to farm. Or that the one would be a teacher who lacks farming experience. But he wants to see the Nebraska grain operation and feedlot he owns with his two brothers continue into the next generation. What he has learned as part of the estate planning process is that he must be open to outside-the-box ideas about how that can occur.

Crunch Your Scenarios | Spreadsheets are Vital to Risk Management

Roy Wendte, a farmer from Altamont, Ill., remembers the first spreadsheet program, Visicalc, from 1982. His University of Illinois master's thesis at that time focused on crop-production software. He’s built his own spreadsheets ever since then for budgets, crop production and yield analysis. “I don’t know how a producer could track of all of the farm data without spreadsheets’ immense time savings and analysis of 'what if' scenarios,” he says.

Data Drive Market Agility | Use Technology to Prepare for the Worst, Succeed in Good Times

The recent drought in half a century was a reminder that market moves in all directions make it prudent to arm your business to ride through any price scenario. Efficient use of data has bullet-proofed Nick Frey’s farm business. "Data make you a better farm manager," says the fifth-generation farmer with WCI Family Farms in Linden, Ind. Frey attributes his knack for using data effectively to his Purdue farm management degree.

300-Bushel Corn Quest | Racehorse Hybrids, Nutrient Placement Critical

The latest findings in Fred Below's 25-year research quest to achieve a consistent 300-bu. corn crop focus on a combo of precision fertility and racehorse hybrids."We also have developed a way to identify these so-called racehorse hybrids that respond to high-yield management," says the University of Illinois plant physiologist. How to move your corn yields towards 300 bu., according to Below.

The Micronutrient Debate | From Boron to Zinc, Micronutrient Benefits Hinge on Field Details

Nick Constant decided to try foliar micronutrient applications on the family's corn and soybeans five years ago after seeing company field trials near their Williamsville, Ill., farm show that they might pick up a few bushels.

Drought Mutes E15 Impact | Long-Awaited Ethanol Market Expansion Hope Dries

Just as E15 finally cleared federal regulatory hurdles, the confluence of no blender tax credits, high corn prices and widespread drought has put the ethanol market in jeopardy. And questions abound regarding possible government changes to the current Renewable Fuel Standard.

High-Rent Hangover | Have a Plan for $3.50 Corn, $8.50 Soybeans

All good things come to an end. To prepare for the eventual end of commodity grain glory days, your best move may be to run the numbers through available decision-making tools and evaluate options to reduce high-rent hangovers.

Walk Your Fields | Start Early and Scout Corn, Soybean Fields Often to Protect Your Investment

Not all farm-management decisions can be labeled as low cost and high reward. But Andrew Bowman from Oneida, IL, believes that crop scouting is one practice that can. He has confirmed the economic benefits on his own family farm, and now shares his passion and skill for crop scouting with other area farmers through Bowman Crop Assure LLC.

Continuous Corn Wins | We’ll See Continued Increase in Corn Profitability Over Soybeans Unless Yields Change

Market watchers often debate how the commodity markets must "buy" corn or soybean acres in any given year. In fact, price relationships may shift some last-minute acreage plans. But when you take into consideration all that goes into production, yield is the rotation trump card.