Good corn Harvest in Mato Grosso

Good corn Harvest in Mato Grosso

Brazilian Agriculture corn Soybeans

By Eduardo Paim:

The corn harvest has already started in northern Mato Grosso, and the productions are surprising, we are harvesting 20% to 30% more than we expected! The soybean harvest was over and great too!

Past 7 Days Rainfall

Past 7 Days Rainfall

corn Crop Condition weather

We have just had several days of wet weather.  You could get the idea that the effects of dry weather have been averted.  If you study the map, You will find that there are many areas that had only a half inch, especially to the west. On the plus side, many parts of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Indiana had good rain.  Some of the early planted corn is good till silking time, which is coming in two weeks.  Later planted corn was helped as far as getting roots to grow deeper, but probably more than half of the corn I have seen will need more rain to assure a decent crop.  I have not seen anything that leads me to believe that corn yields will be above trend line.  Early planted soybeans are looking good, but later planted soybeans have population issues.

Crop Condition Today

Crop Condition Today

corn Crop Condition Soybeans

In general crop condition this spring has been fair at best.  Today as we were getting caught up on soil sampling, we were still seeing fields that are too wet to plant.  Corn was still being replanted.  Patching in will probably continue for  2 weeks.  12 acres of corn planted in Mid-March was the best looking corn we have seen.  I am not advocating for planting that early because the risk is huge.  About half the corn is starting to get some dark color.  It is also getting tall enough that you can't see the areas that have poor stands for the most part.  Smaller corn has decent stands, but we are still seeing nitrogen and sulfur deficiency symptoms, probably somewhat as a result of weather. My overall rating of corn condition is just average.

Weather is improving for now.  Next week we will start hearing from some people that a rain would be nice.  The first rain in the forecast is June 17.

Soybeans are looking a little better than corn.  Stands are more even and some early planted beans are at V2 or V3 stage.  later planted soybeans are germinating and emerging fast.  My overall rating of soybeans is slightly above average.

Weed control is an issue in some places.  I have heard of disappointing results with Dicamba and I have seen disappointing results with Liberty.

Soybeans, Corn, Corruption

Soybeans, Corn, Corruption

Brazilian Agriculture corn Soybeans

By Eduardo Paim:

We have the soybean harvest finished in Brazil, it is certain that the production is record in all the states. With the accusations of corruption of the Brazilian government we had a sudden rise of the dollar and this caused the sale of soybean in large productions. Last Thursday of last week. High stocks on farms are still a concern for all farmers, today our prices depend on the Chicago Stock Exchange and corruption scandals that are always raising the dollar's prices in our country and causing better prices. We know that if the US produces a large crop of soybeans, prices must drop dramatically, that's what we expect for prices. The good thing is that we have a large soybean crop.

Let's start harvesting the corn in 20 or 30 days, the rains were perfect for corn, we will also have a large grain crop in Brazil. The prices are also small with the large production and with the largest cattle slaughterhouses in Brazil involved in the corruption scandals and the uncertainty will be paid to the cattle producers when they deliver their cattle for slaughter. We are living a year complicated with corruption, the strategy is to sell for price that does not harm as quickly as possible, because we do not know what will be the economic destination of the country.

Muito Quente

Muito Quente

Brazil corn Cotton Soybeans

Mutio quente is a good description of today. Muito quente is Portuguese for "very hot." Today was in the mid 90's as we learned more about Brazilian agriculture. We started learning about cotton production. We were able to visit a cotton producer who works with Bayer Crop Science to produce cotton seed for future crops. He shared production practices, challenges, and some of the equipment used.

Seed Emmergence

Seed Emmergence

corn Corn planting Corn Production

Yesterday we attended a program put on by Linco-Precision.  They put together one of the top one day meetings I have been to.  One of the presentations was on seed emergence in corn.  They presented data that suggests that the closer together in time that corn plants emerge for the soil, the better the yields.  The research numbers were more than significant. One of the biggest factors controlling emergence was the evenness of soil moisture.  They did not arrive at the same conclusion that I did, but they do tell you  how to achieve results.  It looks to me like you would be most likely to encounter even moisture conditions under No-Till or stale seedbed.  Prairie Farmer entitled their article, No Ear Left Behind.

Farmers Push Trans-Pacific Partnership

Farmers Push Trans-Pacific Partnership

corn trade Trans-Pacific Partnership

This week we take a look at an article that highlights corn producers efforts to push the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through congress. It shares where things stand with the TPP, why there is the push, and what challenges lie ahead. Read the linked article and then utilize the discussion questions to guide your conversations.

Corn Farmers Push Congress to Pass TPP

Discussion Points


Why is

Monroe County Harvest

Monroe County Harvest

#harvest16 corn

Several people are harvesting corn in Monroe County.  Some varieties are lodging badly.  Corn is mature.  No yield report.

Best Use of Corn in Landscaping

Best Use of Corn in Landscaping

corn

We attended a Cardinal's - Cub's Legends game in Normal this weekend.  The game was played in the Corn Crib.  Maybe outside of Dyersville, IA, the home of Field of Dreams, this may be the best use of corn in the landscaping.  They also have a one row corn picker for a decoration.

Corn Landscaping

Corn Picker

Road Trip Report

Road Trip Report

corn Crop Condition

We took a little trip to Farmington yesterday.  Lots of corn is planted and is in growth stages V2 to V5.  We did not see much a lot bigger.  There was some field activity, but not much.  Bean planting a spraying is what was going on.  We did not see any beans out of the ground.

It has been cold, so I am tempted to say the picture below is showing snow.  It is actually Cottonwood cotton in St. Charles County Missouri.  This corn was the biggest we have sampled and looked very good.

Second Crop Corn IN Brazil

Second Crop Corn IN Brazil

Brazilian Agriculture corn

By Eduardo Paim:

For here we are not having good rains; lack of rainfall is hampering the development of second crop corn. The same regions that suffered from lack of rains for soybeans are suffering from lack of rain now in corn.

The states of Bahia, Tocantins, Maranhao and Piaui are finishing harvest of soybean and productivity reduction is greater than 30%. 
For corn second crop should be reduced between 10% and 15% in production in Brazil. 

The government of Brazil / COBNAB are not talking about real numbers about our production, they say that we will reap most of what is real. 

Reform Needed for China Agriculture

Reform Needed for China Agriculture

China corn

China is facing many challenges in agriculture and the agriculture minister in China is calling for some needed reform. One major issue that the agriculture minister is wanting to address is the supply of corn and policies that are in place. Linked below is an article that takes a closer look at this issue along with others. We encourage you to read through the linked article and then utilize the

Thinking of Applying Sugar?

Thinking of Applying Sugar?

corn soil fertility Soybeans

A practice that has been getting some discussion in th past few years is applying sugar to the crop.  The idea is that sugar will stimulate microbes and speed up release of nutrients from soil minerals.  Producers may be looking at this practice as a way to cut back on fertilizer costs.  Ohio researchers have looked at the practice along with others around the Midwest.  According to an article in No-Till Farmer, they found no yield increase from sugar applications.

Sunday Fun Day Haiti Style

Sunday Fun Day Haiti Style

black beans corn feeding center Haiti Irrigation papaya plantain

Today was our first full day in Haiti. We started off this morning by attending a church service here on campus and seeing the traditions of the Haitian culture. On Sunday our cooks have the day off so Craig and Julie prepared a spectacular lunch for us.



After lunch we traveled to one of the eight feeding centers that UCI supports. Upon arrival we had the opportunity to distribute Christmas

Unique Photo

Unique Photo

corn

This is something you don't see every day.In fact I have never seen it.  A corn cob got stuck on top of a cut off corn stalk.  The only way to take the picture was from the ground.

Soybean Planting Delayed in Brazil

Soybean Planting Delayed in Brazil

Brazilian Agriculture corn Soybeans

By Eduardo Paim:

Here in Mato Grosso are seeing the very different weather than anything we have seen. At the end of past week (9, 10 and 11) weather was very cold in some cities in the state and this is not normal for this time of year. After the cold ended, it began the very strong heat that made all the farmers keep their machines at home and stop the planting of soybeans. The heat is very strong and early planted soybeans with slightly damp soil are dead and these areas will be planted again. We have few crops planted in soil with low moisture. It is not very important to the damaged soybeans that died. We forecast that the rains should return this weekend, we're three weeks behind a perfect planting to make the second crop with corn planting after harvesting the 1st soybean crops. As the soybean planting is delayed I do not believe that the whole maize crop second crop will be planted. It's been over six years since we had such a strong heat here in Mato Grosso.

Corn and Soybeans together?

Corn and Soybeans together?

corn cover crops

Dave Brandt a leading Cover Crops advocate and farmer, is trying to grow soybeans as a nitrogen source on his farm.  He seeds the soybeans between the corn rows.  It is an interesting idea that Brandt says is working.  Read more in Farm Futures.

Hey National Ag Statistics Service

Hey National Ag Statistics Service

corn Corn Condition

Just curious if National Ag Statistics Service considered any fields that look like this or worse.  This is between Gillespie and Litchfield.

Corn Harvest in Brazil

Corn Harvest in Brazil

Brazilian Agriculture corn Corn Harvest

By Eduardo Paim:

Here in Mato Grosso in areas that are reaping corn safrinha (second crop) 2015 producers are not very happy with the production, they expected average harvest of 130 to 140 bags per hectare, but are noticing a reduction of 15% in production. The problem is not only in reducing production, farmers are reaping poor quality corn, with moldy corn, and burned up with a white layer of plaster.

I heard the same reports to the State of Parana.

Producers are putting the bad quality of and low productivity on diseases, because there was too much rain that caused these problems.

Corn Harvest in Brazil

Corn Harvest in Brazil

Brazilian Agriculture corn

By Eduardo Paim:

Here in Mato Grosso we are beginning to harvest the second crop corn (called winter maize), maize this year received good rains and developed well. The first farms that are reaping are happy with the production from 140 to 150 bags per hectare, which is the same production of corn first crop.

Last 30 days we're not getting rain, unlike the year 2014 it rained the 12 months of the year in Mato Grosso. We are already accustomed to the drought that begins in May and ends in September. In 2014 we were very blessed with 12 months of rains.

Preparations for planting of the crop 2016 soybean have started, I think if everything goes normal in September or early October we'll be planting soybeans. Many producers were slow to buy their fertilizer and this should cause a delay in deliveries because now if all buy at the same time it can lead to higher freight rates.