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More in Drought

  • Oct. 11, 2012
    Article

    Consider History – Not Drought – When Contemplating Fall Tillage

    Farmers should consider the short- and long-term effects of fall tillage on their fields and not just the effects of the drought on this year's crop, says Tony Vyn, a Purdue Extension agronomist. Tillage loosens and rearranges soil aggregates with the intent of establishing a better foundation for crop seed placement and root growth, but the drought itself has already accomplished deep cracking and loosening of some soils....More
  • Oct. 9, 2012
    blog

    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
    Article

    Cover Crop Options after Corn, Soybean Harvest

    With this year’s drought conditions there is less residue than normal in many fields. In some, the crop was harvested as a forage or cut as silage, leaving very little residue at all. Without residue to absorb the energy of raindrop impact and keep the wind off the soil surface, soil erosion will be greater and surface crusting could be a problem. Also, without the water-conserving residue mulch, soil moisture losses by evaporation will be much higher....More
  • Oct. 3, 2012
    Article

    $2 Billion in Indemnity Payments Already in the Hands of Farmers

    With over half of the U.S. corn, cotton, soybean and sorghum crops yet to be harvested, crop insurance companies have already paid out nearly $2 billion in indemnities to farmers who have suffered losses this year....More
  • Sep. 26, 2012
    Article

    Drought’s Effect on Equipment Sales

    As the lower 48 states experienced the third hottest summer on record and nearly 80 percent of agricultural land has been affected by the first major drought since 1988, many AEM member companies may be wondering what effect this will have on equipment sales....More
  • Sep. 19, 2012
    Article

    Drought Impacts Beyond Crops, Livestock

    The 2012 drought was obvious. It was hot and dry this summer. Crops and pastures burned up and the agricultural economy will feel it for years to come. Currently we are worried how livestock producers will fare. We are worried about the seed supply for 2013. And we are worried whether the subsoil will have enough water next spring to keep a crop growing. But what about the rest of the economy? How far down have the roots of the drought grown?...More
  • Sep. 17, 2012
    video
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    Herbicide Carryover

    The growing season is finished, but the drought continues to affect soil. There are concerns from farmers about herbicide carryover into 2013. Brent Wilson, DuPont Pioneer, and Jeff Carpenter, DuPont, talk about the potential for herbicide carryover and how to manage that carryover. The keys to management are to consider late POST-applications and understand which active ingredients were applied....More
  • Sep. 11, 2012
    blog

    FSA Low-Interest Disaster Loans

    On Sept. 6, the Farm Service Agency sent Notice FLP-622 to state and county offices with guidance on how to establish losses to pasture, livestock and salvaged crops and procedures regarding emergency loan programs. Eligible producers have eight months after their county is designated a disaster to apply for low-interest (2.25%) emergency loans up to $500,000, which can be used to replace lost production, restructure the farm, family living expenses and other uses....More
  • Sep. 4, 2012
    blog

    RFS Being Challenged by Drought

    The 2012 drought has brought the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) into the forefront. The RFS regulations are managed by the EPA, and those regulations are quite complicated. The RFS requires that minimum levels of renewable biofuels must be used to blend gasoline in the U.S. Corn-based ethanol is the primary fuel ingredient that is used to meet the RFS requirement. Currently ethanol makes up about 10% of the U.S. fuel supply, with just over 13 billion gallons of ethanol/year being produced in the U.S....More
  • Sep. 1, 2012
    Article
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    Inverse Market Options

    Harsh droughts are not fun. And, relative to expected yields, the 2012 corn crop will go down in history as one of the five worst in the last 100 years. Drought-damaged crops and early harvests go hand in hand. Maybe this is for the better – finish harvest quickly and put this year of disappointment in the rearview mirror....More
  • Aug. 31, 2012
    video
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    Drought vs. River Transportation

    The drought has had a clear effect on farmers and their crops this summer. It's also affecting river transportation, as water levels fall and barges have to be loaded lighter. Mike Steenhoek, executive director, Soy Transportation Coalition, talks about the effect of the drought on waterway transportation, and how that in turn increases the costs for farmers. Steenhoek says if there is one silver lining to the drought, it's that we need to invest in our waterway system to keep it viable....More
  • Aug. 30, 2012
    Article

    2012 Drought: Yield Loss, Revenue Loss, Harvest Price Option

    This article examines the impact of the 2012 drought on per acre revenue for corn and soybeans compared with the revenue expected in February. The article also examines the impact of crop insurance and, more specifically, the harvest price option, on per acre revenue. The harvest price option permits the insurance guarantee to be calculated using the higher of the insurance plant price determined in February for corn and soybeans or the price determined at harvest. Despite the reduction in yield caused by the drought, per-acre revenue is higher in August than in February for the average U.S. acre of corn and soybeans....More
  • Aug. 28, 2012
    Article
    Delta Farm Press

    Forced Barge Light-Loading on Low Mississippi River

    While drought has dropped Mississippi River levels, barge traffic is still moving. That movement, however, is being done with lighter loads. “Everyone is doing the best they can in this situation,” says Steve Nail, president and chief executive officer of Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc., in Greenville, Miss. “Last year, we all had to deal with extremely high river levels. Everyone – the Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard, levee boards – did the best they could to manage that.”...More
  • Aug. 28, 2012
    Article

    4 Items to Start Your Post-Harvest Checklist To Deal With Drought

    As you are in the combine cab, lamenting the yield loss that the drought stole from you, many folks will be thinking, “What is next?” A shortage of moisture for much of the growing season is one thing, but what are the ramifications of dry soils as we move forward. There are quite a few of those, and this is an incomplete list....More
  • Aug. 21, 2012
    blog

    Livestock Industry Under Stress

    The corn and soybean meal market prices have responded to the current U.S. drought with dramatic market increases. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) December corn futures prices rose to over $8/bu. by mid-August, an increase of nearly $3/bu. since mid-June, or about a 60% increase in about two months. Similarly, CBOT soybean meal prices have increased by nearly $200/ton in recent months, and are now over $500/ton. Corn and soybean meal are important feed ingredients for all segments of the livestock industry....More
  • Aug. 20, 2012
    Article

    3 Tips For Harvesting Drought-Stricken Corn

    It’s no secret combines perform best when they’re operating at their maximum capacity. However, the widespread drought is changing not only corn grain yield, but the volume of plant material that will be passing through combines as they harvest corn this fall. In addition, drought-stressed kernels will be smaller and more difficult to keep clean and intact, particularly in many of today's larger combines....More
  • Aug. 14, 2012
    Article
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    Drought Marketing

    This year has all the signs of producing a corn crop that could fall short of trend-line yields by 20% or more. I call this a butt-kicking drought. Our last butt-kicking drought occurred in 1988. Yields were about 25% below trend. The drought of 1983 was nearly as severe. Beyond these years, we have to go back to the Dust Bowl. In 1934 and 1936, corn yields fell 30% short of trend....More
  • Aug. 10, 2012
    video

    Weather: Fall 2012 and Beyond

    At FarmFest, we had the opportunity to talk to University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley. CSD Columnist Kent Thiesse talked to Seeley about catching up for the 2013 crop and what the long-term outlook is for the Corn Belt as far as weather. Seeley said in the short term we can expect more frequent rainfall, as well as more moderate temperatures. The long-term is a bit difficult to predict yet, but trend-wise, 70% of the fall months get enough moisture to help resupply us for spring....More
  • Aug. 7, 2012
    Article

    Initial Perspectives of Crop Insurance Underwriting Losses due to 2012 Drought

    There is growing interest in understanding the magnitude of losses in the federal crop insurance program, and how those losses are to be shared between the federal government and the crop insurance companies and their reinsurers. At this point, it is difficult to precisely estimate the size of the eventual losses; however, it is safe to assume that losses will be relatively large. Given federal regulation and restrictions on crop insurance companies’ retained exposure, it is highly likely that there are sufficient funds to cover 2012 losses. Additional context and perspective on 2012 losses are provided below....More
  • Aug. 7, 2012
    video
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    Drought Impacts: Livestock and Ethanol

    The drought is not only causing damage to crops, but it's impacting other industries, too. Kent Thiesse, vice president, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN, and former Extension educator, talks about the impact of the drought on livestock producers as well as the ethanol industry and export markets....More
  • Aug. 7, 2012
    blog

    Impacts of the 2012 Drought

    Much of the major corn- and soybean-producing areas of the U.S. are now in the middle of one of the worst droughts in decades, certainly the worst since 1988, and possibly since the 1930s. As of July 30, 37% of the U.S. Corn Belt was considered to be in an “extreme” or “exceptional” drought status. States like Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin are all feeling the brutal brunt of this drought. While Minnesota crops have fared somewhat better during 2012, portions of southwest, south-central and northwest Minnesota will also likely have a some impact from the drought....More
  • Aug. 6, 2012
    Article

    Short-Crop Impact on Farmland Leases, Rent Payments

    Low crop yields from this year's drought could mean an inability of some farmers to meet farmland rental agreements if they suffer major losses of income. The possibility means tenants and landlords need to communicate with one another and both parties need to review the terms of lease agreements. "The ability to meet rent payments will vary widely among tenants due to the differing financial impacts of the 2012 drought," says Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension agricultural economist....More
  • Aug. 3, 2012
    Article
    Corn and Soybean Digest

    August 1 WAOB Summary

    Devastatingly hot weather continued to bake the nation’s mid-section, further dimming corn and soybean prospects and increasing stress on the Plains’ immature summer crops. Weekly temperatures generally averaged 5-10° F above normal in a broad area stretching from the central and southern Plains into the Midwest. Multiple triple-digit (100° F) days were noted in parts of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and on the Great Plains from South Dakota to Texas....More
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