Corn and Soybean Digest

Jen Bennett

Digital Editor

Email jbennett@csdigest.com

Jen grew up in south-central Minnesota and graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a degree in mass communications. She served as a communications specialist for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, and was a book editor before joining the Corn & Soybean Digest staff.

Articles by Jen Bennett

July 16 Crop Progress: Corn Hitting Dough Stage, Soybeans Setting Pods

Nearly 3/4 of the corn crop has started silking and some has started hitting the dough stage in several states as the crop conditions continue to decline. Soybeans continue to progress with 2/3 of the crop blooming, and nearly all states seeing pods setting. Conditions declined again for the soybean crop this week, too.

July 9 Crop Progress: Overall Corn, Soybean Conditions Continue Decline

The continued dry spell and heat took its toll on corn and soybean crops again. Corn condition dropped another 8 points in the good/excellent category, and soybeans dipped 5 points. Crops continue to progress at ahead-of-average pace, however. Fifty percent of the corn crop has silks and 44% of the soybean crop has bloomed.

July 2 Crop Progress: Corn, Soybean Crops Decline…Again

The overall corn and soybean crops are silking and flowering, but continue to decline. At one-quarter silked, the corn crop good/excellent rating dropped 8 points over the last week, adding those points to the very poor/poor rating. The soybean crop is 26% bloomed, but also slipped 8 points in the good/excellent rating.

June 25 Crop Progress: Corn, Soybeans Taking a hit from Mother Nature in the mid-Corn Belt, Thriving in the North

Corn has started silking and soybeans have started flowering across the U.S. As of June 24, 10% of the corn crop has started silking and 12% of the soybeans are blooming. Crop conditions for both crops have declined, in corn more than beans.

June 4 Crop Progress: Corn Nearly All Emerged; Soybeans Nearly All Planted

The 2012 corn crop is 97% emerged, while soybeans follow at nearly 80% popped up. The condition of the corn crop is about the same as last week: 72% good-excellent. The soybean crop is sitting at 65% good-excellent, in its first week of crop condition ratings.

2012 Corn, Soybean Growing Season

The 2012 corn and soybean crops were in earlier than normal, and are off to a good start. While some areas are thirsting for rain, others are getting more than they can handle. We'd love to see what's happening in your area! Email pictures of your growing crops to csd@csdigest.com and we'll add them to the gallery.

May 21 Crop Progress: Corn 3/4 Emerged, Soybeans Over 2/3 Emerged

Soybean planting made big progress last week, jumping 20 points to 76% complete. The corn crop is nearly all planted, with 96% of the crop in the ground.

May 14 Crop Progress: Corn More Than Half Emerged; Soybeans Nearly Half Planted

U.S. farmers continue to be busy in the fields, making good progress getting the 2012 corn crop 87% planted and the soybeans 46% planted, according to the May 14 USDA Crop Progress report. This is 21 and 22 points, respectively, ahead of the five-year average.

May 7 Crop Progress: Soybeans Nearly 1/4 Planted; Corn Nearly 1/3 Emerged 1

While no state is completely finished planting corn, some are getting close as the entire corn crop is 71% planted for 2012. This is well ahead of the five-year average of 47% by this date, and even further ahead of last year’s 32% pace.

April 30 Crop Progress: Corn Over Half Planted

Over half of the 2012 corn crop has been planted. Fifty-three percent, to be exact. This is well ahead of the five-year average of 27%, and a big jump over last week's 28%. Iowa made the most progress, getting 50% of the crop planted, compared to having only 9% in last week.

April 23 Crop Progress: Corn Emerging, Soybean Planting Starts 1

Farmers are starting to see their early planting come to fruition, as 9% of the corn crop is now emerging from the soil. This is well ahead of the 2% five-year average. Texas and Tennessee are seeing the most green with 53% and 61% of their corn crops out of the ground, respectively. North Carolina has nearly half of their crop emerging, and a third of the corn crop is popping up in Kentucky.

April 17 Crop Progress: Corn Crop Nearly 1/5 Planted

Farmers around the U.S. made big progress this past week, planting another 10% of the corn crop. The overall crop is now 17% planted, 12 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 5%.

April 9 Crop Progress: Corn Planting 7% Complete

All but two states have put some corn in the ground according to the April 9, 2012, USDA Crop Progress report. A 7% overall planting completion rate is 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average and is up 4 points from last week alone.

Coming Soon To A Field Near You: Soybean Insects and Diseases

A light winter. Warm March temperatures. Early planting. The welcome scene has been set. The next shot opens to giant aphids and bean leaf beetles raging through your flourishing soybean fields, chewing up what's left of the leaves that haven't been attacked by soybean cyst nematodes (SCN), white mold or sudden death syndrome (SDS).

Corn Planting Progresses to 3% By April 2, 2012

The April 2, 2012 Crop Progress report has put overall corn planting progress at 3% complete. Texas has 48% of its crop in, followed by Tennessee at 15% planted and North Carolina with 10% of its corn in the ground.