Ag Weather Forum

Frost And Farm Progress Show

Bryce Anderson
By  Bryce Anderson , Ag Meteorologist Emeritus
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I've been away most of the past couple weeks looking around Central Europe. It was a great experience and bolstered by something that hasn't been too prevalent in Germany, Switzerland and Austria this summer--sunshine. There were several comments by our guides on tours we took about how the amount of rain this year had hurt the wheat and hay crops. (This is a point emphasized in DTN market weather videos since July.)

Now, there is a quick gearing-up for the Farm Progress (or should it be "Slog-gress"?) Show in Boone, Iowa Tuesday through Thursday this week. For the second time in the past 3 shows in Boone, rain is an issue. The show at the Iowa site was crippled by heavy rain in 2010--had a dry weather event in 2012 during the drought year--and got hammered by heavy rain last week during exhibit set-up, with more rain forecast for this week's event days. Darin Newsom and I do plan to discuss the primary market and weather topics of the day each of the three days of the show and we hope to see you if you are at the show. Our program times are 9:30 AM and 1:00 PM.

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I'll post a separate blog item on this topic-but I fully expect first frost dates and a frost forecast to be of high interest. I kept up on enough details from last week's Pro Farmer crop tour to know that scouts found plenty of soybeans along with some corn that need every last growing degree unit available. It also is evident that September 20 is an important date--frost on or before that date, and it won't be a pretty sight to finish the season. There's the question of harvest weather patterns as well.

Bottom line is, there are some critical items weatherwise for this year's Farm Progress Show, in addition to just being able to get to the show itself.

Bryce

Twitter @BAndersonDTN

(CZ)

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Freeport IL
8/25/2014 | 11:50 AM CDT
University information indicates it takes something like 20% of total dent to mature growing degree days (GDD) to go from 100% milk line to 50% milk line. A frost that kills only the plants leaves is expected to have a 5% yield loss at a 50% milk line (12% yield loss with whole plant killed at 50% milk line). (A 50% milk line would be 140 to 190 GDD short of maturity depending on relatvie maturity of the corn.) So a killing frost needs to occur near dent to have a major yield dropping impact. Drying "frosted" corn has its own problems. Freeport, IL
GWL 61
8/25/2014 | 10:09 AM CDT
Where it has rained crops look good, but look to be a couple weeks behind. Some places have too much rain. Our area has picked up a little over 5'' thus far in August, however the ground has handled it well as it was getting dry prior to that. What does your crystal ball show for the next ninety days? I can't imagine having to deal with a lot of drying cost with an already pathetic corn market. Bean market nothing to brag about either. Weeds seem to be thriving everywhere.