More in Soybeans

Dec. 11, 2012

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No Increase in Corn Ending Stocks

USDA’s supply/demand estimates for ending stocks moved in the direction the trade expected, with the exception of corn, which was left at 647 million bushels rather than the average increase to 666 million the trade expected (range 493-752). USDA made no changes to its balance sheet, but reduced its price range to $6.80-8 from November’s $6.95-8.25....More
Dec. 10, 2012

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New Options for Soybean Aphid Host Plant Resistance 1

Host plant resistance for soybean aphid is the newest management tool for yield protection. In 2010, a single gene expression, called Rag1, was commercially released in the north central region. Aphids feeding on Rag1 plants do not live as long or produce as many offspring compared to when they feed on susceptible plants. In small plot evaluations of the Rag1 gene, there is a dramatic decrease in the seasonal accumulation of soybean aphid compared to aphids developing on susceptible varieties....More
Nov. 29, 2012

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Corn and Soybean Digest

Tiny Planes Coming to Scout Crops

Dale Crawford has his own crop-scouting drone...sitting in the basement. The Sullivan, Ill., corn and soybean grower bought the Canadian-built, CropCam fixed-wing-style, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) after seeing one at Commodity Classic about five years ago. He was intrigued by the idea of doing aerial photos for his fields and possibly others....More
Nov. 28, 2012

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RMA Sets New Crop Insurance Premium Rates

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced it will continue to update crop insurance premiums for corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, spring wheat, rice and cotton. Revised rates for corn and soybeans were offered in most counties in 2012. Revised rates for grain sorghum, spring wheat, rice and cotton will be available in 2013....More
Nov. 27, 2012

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Soybean Meal Carrying Prices Over Soybean Oil as Oil Exports Decline

The sharp increase in soybean prices that began in June and peaked in early September was carried more by soybean meal prices than by soybean oil prices, according to University of Illinois Agricultural Economist Darrel Good. From the June low to the September peak, January 2013 soybean futures increased by 43%, January soybean meal futures increased by 51% and January soybean oil futures gained 20%....More
Nov. 26, 2012

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Check out Extreme Beans: The Website

You've read the extreme beans insert, and hopefully you've downloaded the app. Now you can read all the information online, too!...More
Nov. 21, 2012

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2012 Corn, Soybean Yields 2

With harvest complete, we've polled farmers for what their final yields ended up being for corn and soybeans, as a percentage of normal. Taking numbers from the comments on the poll, we've mapped out final yields across the Corn Belt. We'd love to get more numbers, so feel free to leave a comment here with your final average corn and soybean yields and we'll add them to our maps.
Nov. 20, 2012

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Low Protein Content, Strong Exports Boost Bean Crush

November-March is the U.S. oilseed industry’s strongest season for crush, and this year it kicked off early, with October crush coming in at 153.5 million bushels, the largest in three years – up almost 9% from 2011 – and above trade expectations, according to data from the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA). The average trade estimate was 144.4 million bushels, up 21% from September and 2% from a year earlier, according to a Dow Jones Newswires survey before the NOPA data were released. But the range of estimates was unusually wide, 127.2-152.5 million bushels....More
Nov. 13, 2012

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USDA Increases Expected Soybean Production

The USDA Crop Production report released on Nov. 9 increased the estimated total soybean production in 2012 to 2.97 billion bushels, which is 4% above the 2.86 billion bushel estimate in October. The 2012 soybean production estimate is still 4% lower than the 2011 U.S. soybean production of 3.09 billion bushels, and 11% below the 2010 production level of 3.33 billion bushels. This production increase is a fairly major production adjustment for this late in the year....More
Nov. 9, 2012

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November 2012 Crop Production: Corn Up Slightly from October; Soybeans Up 4%

Corn production is forecast at 10.7 billion bushels, up slightly from the October forecast but down 13% from 2011. This represents the lowest production in the United States since 2006. Soybean production is forecast at 2.97 billion bushels, up 4% from October but down 4% from last year. Based on Nov. 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 39.3 bu./acre, up 1.5 bu. from last month but down 2.6 bu. from last year....More
Nov. 5, 2012

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Corn and Soybean Digest

Roots of Plant Health | Root Physiology Tools, Agronomic Basics Aim to Reduce Stress, Boost Yields 1

If you lack focus below the soil, on your crop root environment, then these critical plant pathways won't efficiently transport water and nutrients into place for top yields. To build healthy roots, start with the basics, suggests Bruce Potter, integrated pest management specialist, University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center....More
Nov. 1, 2012

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Ozone’s Impact on Soybean Yield: Reducing Future Losses

People tend to think of ozone as something in the upper atmosphere that protects the earth’s surface from UV radiation. At the ground level, however, ozone is a pollutant that damages crops, particularly soybeans. Lisa Ainsworth, a University of Illinois associate professor of crop sciences and USDA Agricultural Research Service plant molecular biologist, says that establishing the exposure threshold for damage is critical to understanding the current and future impact of this pollutant....More
Oct. 31, 2012

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Minnesota Soybean Farmers: Visit China

The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council is inviting Minnesota soybean farmers to apply to be one of 15 farmers who will join our See For Yourself trip to China, March 19-28, 2013. Each year, we organize See For Yourself trips that give soybean farmers the opportunity to see firsthand how their checkoff program is working to increase productivity and profitability and the demand for our crop....More
Oct. 30, 2012

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6 Reasons to Sample for SCN this Fall

While it is still fresh in your mind, many of you probably noticed the great deal of variability this year in yields that occurred as you were driving the combine across the field. Part of the variability is due to the presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Why is it important to know where it is and what the levels are? Here are a few reasons....More
Oct. 23, 2012

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2013 Acreage Watch

Soybeans come in a poor second compared to corn in Ohio State University's initial crop budget analysis for 2013. The spreadsheet used by Barry Ward, Extension production business management specialist, plugged in sales values of $6.24/bu. for corn and $13.20/ bu. for soybeans....More
Oct. 16, 2012

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USDA Crop Report Increase Minnesota Yield

The Oct. 11 USDA crop report showed significant increases for both corn and soybean yields in Minnesota, as compared to September crop report. This corresponds closely to actual corn and soybean yields being reported from many areas of the state, which have been better than expected, given the extremely dry weather conditions that existed in several areas. Crop yields in the southwest and south-central parts of the state have been highly variable due to the drought conditions that existed during the last half of the 2012 growing season....More
Oct. 15, 2012

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Sample for SCN in the Fall

Fall soil sampling for SCN may reveal that the nematode was responsible for disappointingly low soybean yields in 2012, although it may be difficult to separate this from low yields due to drought conditions and other diseases and insect pests....More
Oct. 11, 2012

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October 2012 Crop Production: Corn Down Slightly from September, Soybeans Up 9%

Corn production is forecast at 10.7 billion bushels, down slightly from the September forecast and down 13% from 2011. Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, yields are expected to average 122 bu./acre, down 0.8 bu. from the September forecast and 25.2 bu. below the 2011 average. Soybean production is forecast at 2.86 billion bushels, up 9% from September but down 8% from last year. Based on Oct. 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 37.8 bu./acre, up 2.5 bu. from last month but down 4.1 bu. from last year....More
Oct. 10, 2012

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Timely Checkoff Study Maintains U.S. Soybean Exports to Japan

The U.S. soy industry’s relationship with its third-largest importer of whole soybeans had a close call this summer. One small shipment of U.S. soybeans was found to carry residue of a fungicide, at a level higher than allowed by Japanese law....More
Oct. 9, 2012

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Drought Continues, Harvest Wrapping Up

Even though the 2012 harvest season is rapidly drawing to a close, most areas of southern and western Minnesota remain in severe to extreme drought, with conditions worsening in the past couple of months. The latest U.S. Drought Index places all of south-central and southwest Minnesota in an extreme drought category. Approximately 85% of the major corn- and soybean-producing areas in the U.S. are currently experiencing some level of drought, including most of the Western Corn Belt States and nearly all of the Plains states....More
Oct. 5, 2012

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Extreme Beans: The App

Access valuable research information, plus two calculators to help you determine which inputs get you the most bang for your buck and which seeding rates are optimal for your highest return.m...More
Oct. 1, 2012

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Corn and Soybean Digest

Bean Bushel Busters | Soybean Yield Champs Share Some Secrets

Winning yield contests takes knowledge, skill and, often, a little luck. For some winners, their reward is not just about hitting new yield highs, but about fine-tuning their production practices. These three state soybean contest winners have made some profitable discoveries on their quests for more bushels, and they’re happy to share strategies that have worked best for them....More
Sep. 28, 2012

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Corn Stocks Down 12% from September 2011; Soybean Stocks Down 21%

Old-crop corn stocks in all positions on Sept. 1, 2012 totaled 988 million bushels, down 12% from Sept. 1, 2011. Of the total stocks, 314 million bushels are stored on farms, down slightly from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 675 million bushels, are down 17% from a year ago. The June-August 2012 indicated disappearance is 2.16 billion bushels, compared with 2.54 billion bushels during the same period last year....More
Sep. 25, 2012

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Harvest Progresses Rapidly

Corn and soybean harvest is progressing at a very rapid rate in most portions of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, as a result of almost perfect harvest conditions. As of Sept. 21, harvest progress for both corn and soybeans was at 25-50% completed in much of south-central and southwest Minnesota. This level of harvest progress is more typical of mid- to late October than late September. Most of the crops have matured beyond any potential damage from a killing frost....More
Sep. 24, 2012

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Soybean Prices Tumble

Several fundamental factors have contributed to the decline in soybean prices, including early reports of better-than-expected yields of the current U.S. crop, according to University of Illinois Agricultural Economist Darrel Good. He reports that November 2012 soybean futures reached a high of $17.89 on Sept. 4, but have declined sharply since then....More