Editors' Notebook

OMAHA (DTN) -- It's August and USDA has reiterated its monthly warning -- opinion? estimate? let's go with estimate -- that we've got some bumper corn and soybean crops in those fields. Big crops get bigger, they say, especially in USDA reports.

Still, things may not seem all that settled on individual farms.

We've got some local crop reports to share and we'll start in the southern section of the U.S. -- where corn harvest has already begun -- and work our way north -- where early frost could bring an abrupt end to the growing season.

The Texas corn crop was 17% harvested as of Aug. 10, according to National Ag Statistics Service reports. Kansas corn was 12% dented. In Florida, NASS said, "Corn and corn silage harvesting continued in the Panhandle, north, and central Florida."

Jamie Harris lives in Madison, Fla., in the north-central part of the state. His family is in the middle of corn harvest and he reported the following details via email: "Irrigated yields ranged from 210-270. Very pleased with those. Dryland is anywhere from 65-110; hopefully average somewhere between 90-100, which is good for our light soils."

Soybeans, as usual, aren't as close to done as the corn. "Beans aborted some pods during last dry spell," Jamie wrote. "We went nearly three weeks in spits with no rain and that's tough for us, but hopefully they put on some more blooms now that we have gotten some rain."

The Harris crew is about a month from peanut harvest and is prepping and planting iron clay peas after the irrigated corn comes off.

In Arkansas, NASS reports corn is 50% mature, but no harvest percentages are available yet. Will Nicholson of Cherry Valley in northeast Arkansas said corn is starting to dry down in his area and he heard of some milo being harvested on the east side of the county. He hopes to start rice harvest this coming weekend and has been watering beans.

"We are watering beans. It went from flood to drought, but the weather is nice and cool. So hopefully we won't kill any of the little ones. The early planted ... in the area are turning and dropping leaves. There are a lot of beans under 8 inches in area. ... We set a record for being the coolest July in history. And we have not hit 95 yet this year."

In Missouri, Bob Birdsell of Stanberry said things in his area and on a recent "windshield" tour he took in the state look pretty good.

"They came and checked the corn plots, pulled two ears off of one number to do kernel counts; the numbers were there for almost 200 bushels per acre, but not enough depth yet. Our best whole farm average is around 170.

"We went to KC ... last Thursday; things down to there look good. We then went on to Columbia on I-70; things look good across there also. Our friends in Columbia got some rain on last Thursday and it was the first real rain since the first part of July. We came home up US-63; things between I-70 and Moberly were variable; some corn looked good, other was fired almost to the ear. I don't know if it was planting dates or what because sometimes they could be almost right across the road. The beans in this area looked good. Weed control seem to be good other than some had lots of volunteer corn. I only saw one with bad waterhemp.

"The corn and beans both looked great between Moberly and Macon. We came back west on US-36; everything looked good across there also. I saw a couple of fields on 36 that looked like they were turning. I don't know if it was planted real early or was an early number or both, but looked like it had good ears on it."

Corn harvest is not happening yet in southwest Indiana, according to Scott Wallis, but that's typical. Recent rains have improved crop conditions, but he's unsure how yields will play out.

"The two big dairies have started chopping silage. Haven't heard what they think of the corn. All of our crops look real good, [although I'm] still not convinced we will have record yields. We have continued to get unusually cool weather, which has slowed maturity. The area received from 0.5-2.0 inches last week, which was needed."

In addition, Wallis passed this info along, "My son just heard from one of his Purdue buddies; he lives southwest of Ft. Wayne. They had only 0.5 inches for all of July their crop is in bad shape."

In northeast Illinois, John Moore of Manhattan reports crops are looking good, although corn may be starting to show some stress.

"A lot of corn fields, though, are showing firing at the bottom due to nitrogen loss earlier this spring with the wet weather and then dryness later in summer. Since the corn plant didn't need to put roots down deep, there wasn't that reserve to fall back on.

"Bean fields have improved as they normally seem to do (very resilient plant). Still some blossoming, pod setting and filling all going on. Bug pressure has increased, although not terrible like some other years. Some area farmers have chosen to apply insecticides and fungicides but I don't think it's as widespread as in years past.

"Haying is still a challenge. Although rain has been scarce, the threat of rain hasn't been. Seems like the forecasters like to change their minds every 20 minutes this year. 'To cut or not to cut, that is the question.'"

Moving north into Michigan, Phil Carter of New Era in the west-central part of the state has been busy with sour (tart) cherry harvest. He reported quality was good overall, "but only an average crop, no limb busters."

Peach harvest will start soon and packers and processors are quizzing growers about possible production levels. In addition, apple price negotiations will begin soon, Carter said.

"Wheat harvest is completed for the most part with decent yields," he said in an email. "One neighbor reported 86 bushels/acre on red wheat. Oats are a ways off and some rye has been run. We got 0.4 inches of rain today (Tuesday, Aug. 12), the first in three weeks and corn especially has suffered from lack of moisture."

In southwest Michigan, Barry Mumby of Colon says rain is needed, although the situation is not at crisis level. He's also thinking about what will happen to prices if those large crops make it into the bins.

"Dryland crops are waiting for a good soaking, but hanging on. I think second ears are fading, but primary ears look good so far.

"Soybeans need the rain soon and are also in hold mode. The cool weather has been our answer to stress. An associate soybean analyst guesses the national crop near 4 billion bushels with 47+ yields. We discussed the growing demand and here is a fact of interest. In 2012-2013 the five top soybean exporting countries shipped 86.3 mmt. In 2013-2014 they shipped 103.2 mmt! Pent-up demand raised exports 16.9 mmt with only a modest reduction in year-on-year price. Imagine what the demand will be if soys drop to sub $10 as may be the case."

In Wisconsin, Justin Premo reports that wheat harvest is nearly finished. "We had average yields, but the vomitoxin is running wild and getting docked severely at the elevator (maxed at $2/bu or refusal)."

Premo said corn and beans look good, but some areas need moisture. "We had less than an inch in July, and really hit or miss showers over the last week; the haves received an inch or 2 and the nots got a quarter inch or less.

"Corn is varying from not pollinating yet to set ears. The fields that I have looked at have a lot of variation within the same varieties. I was surprised in some of the earlier plantings that there was still pollination occurring last week. IF the yields can be realized there will be a good crop, but crop moisture will be an issue with the cooler summer we have had so far.

"Frost has the potential to big a big issue. The corn that's not pollinated we are looking at least the middle of October for it to be mature if we have heat and moisture."

Rounding out our reports is Dave Tollefson of Starbuck, Minn. "Here in southern Pope County, Minn., we got a wonderful 1.3 inches of rain last Sunday, which should benefit the corn and beans greatly. July was a bust, with only about an inch and a half of rain the whole month, most of that up to July 7. The lighter soil areas, especially on the beans, really showed up during that time. Wheat is ready to harvest around here; looks like a good crop."

If you'd like to share details about conditions in your area, email me at cheri.zagurski@dtn.com.

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