Harvest

Three Honks to Say “I Love You”

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:29:37 GMT

It started during harvest season a few years ago. My husband, Brett, was driving the grain truck to the local co-op, and from our rented house not far off the main road, I would watch truck after truck roll by my office window to unload their grain for the season.

I knew which trucks belonged to us — the faded blue one with the busted radio, the red-and-white one sporting the newer logo and the red-and-black semi, my personal favorite. But while I watched our trucks roll by, I couldn’t always tell who was behind the wheel. Was it Brett? My father-in-law? My brother-in-law? I was nosy and wanted to keep tabs on who was driving what.

Finally, curiosity got the best of me. One night after a long day of combining and driving trucks, I asked my husband, “How many loads did you take in today?”

In-between bites of whatever late-night dinner I flung together, he gave me his answer, then asked, “Didn’t you see me?”

Nope, not from that distance. Even with 20/20 vision and a keen eye, there was no way to tell who was behind the wheel when they were flying past at 55 mph.

The next day, I watched the road again as the trucks made their rounds. First the blue one passed, then a while later the red. Finally, the semi came around the bend on its way to town with the first load of the day. This time, though, the driver honked three times, and I found myself wondering what that was about.

A little later, I got a text from Brett while he was waiting in the grain line: “Did you see me go by with the semi? I honked three times. I said I love you.”

Our Own Little Love Language

Our poor neighbors must have been sick of the trucks rolling by that fall, especially once the “three honks” tradition began. No matter which truck came down the road, I always knew when Brett was behind the wheel because a distinctive “Honk! Honk! HONKKKK!” would ring out across County Road R.

We’ve since moved to the farm, and our house is no longer on the path to the co-op. During our first fall at the new address, I mentioned how I missed hearing those three beeps go off throughout the day. Brett cracked a smile when I told him this, and mischievously said, “Challenge accepted.”

Now, I’ll hear those three blasts echo from a pickup, a tractor or whatever rig he’s driving that day, and I just smile. Those three honks have become our little ritual. It’s simple, it’s sweet and it’s probably annoying to everyone else in the area, but it’s ours. And it’s a reminder that love doesn’t always need words, sometimes it just needs a truck rolling down the road and three short honks.

Southern Rust Set To Take Big Bite Out Of Midwest Corn Crop?

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:17:28 GMT

If one picture is worth a thousand words, then the video Iowa farmer Dan Striegel shot last week must be worth thousands more. In the video, Striegel is shown harvesting a field of emerald-green corn enveloped in a cloud of orangish-red southern rust.

“We were just getting that field opened up, and I looked over and saw that dust boiling up out of the chopper, so I shot the video,” Striegel says.

Southern Rust? Never heard of her.
What Cheer, Iowa. USA. #pftour25 #harvest25 pic.twitter.com/tiIsUc2CHl
— Dan Striegel (@djsinseia) August 21, 2025

To date, Striegel’s video has garnered more than 48,000 views on X, formerly Twitter.

“We’re in southeast Iowa, Keokuk County, and I think the southern rust is as bad here as it is anywhere,” Striegel adds. “Every field you walk in, if you’re wearing a white T-shirt, you’ll come out of there red.”

A Red Path Of Disease Mars The Midwest

Expect to see more red T-shirt-clad farmers walking out of cornfields across the upper Midwest, based on what the Crop Protection Network (CPN) southern rust map is showing.

The CPN continually updates its online, interactive map showing the counties by state where southern rust infections are confirmed. Now, in late August, the counties look like red steppingstones. They form a checkered path from southwest Michigan through northern Illinois and Indiana, into southern Wisconsin, across all of Iowa and nearly two-thirds of the way across Nebraska. Eastern South Dakota is also lit up with a string of red counties, as are parts of southern to central Minnesota.

The amount of southern rust present in the upper Midwest is worrisome to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. In severe cases, the disease can wipe out 45% of the yield potential in a field, according to the CPN.

“At most, one in 10 growers in northern Iowa and Minnesota have seen the kind of southern rust some of them are seeing this year,” says Ferrie, who was working last week with corn growers in both states.

“It was a problem in probably eight out of every 10 fields I was in, and they’d all been sprayed at least once,” he says. “Minnesota has a corn crop that’ll knock your socks off – yield potential of 250, 270. I encouraged every grower to spray their field a second time except for two fields. One had been knocked down by hail, and the other had a hybrid that was clean.”

I spoke with a good friend of mine from Iowa yesterday that is an agronomist and farmer. He said the southern rust in corn across Iowa and much of the Midwest will take 9 to 12 bushel/acre off corn yields on average from what his team and himself are seeing. pic.twitter.com/Ad1VJ9oQBg
— Captain Cornelius1 (@ISU145) August 26, 2025

Hybrids Have Little To No Resistance To Southern Rust

A combination of early-season moisture, heat and wind formed the perfect storm for southern rust this season, allowing the disease-causing fungal spores (Puccinia polysora) to move from southern climes up to the Midwest, according to Kurt Maertens, BASF technical service representative for eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

“We’ve seen it all – southern rust, tar spot, northern corn leaf blight, gray leaf spot. Our corn has been inundated with all these fungal diseases, and we started seeing them early,” says Maertens.

If there’s a silver lining to southern rust, it’s that it does not overwinter in corn residue like tar spot does. But like tar spot, southern rust takes advantage of hybrids that have no built-in resistance. For many growers, that was an Achilles heel this season.

“When you’re dealing with a 117-day hybrid like they grow in southern Illinois, Tennessee, and Kentucky, you don’t grow corn that doesn’t have good southern rust resistance, because they deal with it every year,” Ferrie notes. “When you move to Minnesota, and you’re planting 102- to 95-day corn, you’re probably not going to find hybrids with southern rust resistance.”

Striegel says that was true for his neighbor’s cornfield, which he custom chopped for silage. “That field had two hybrids in it, one was worse than the other, and the field had been sprayed with a fungicide,” he says.

He adds that he also sprayed his own cornfields with fungicide, but they are still inundated with southern rust.

“We’ve had southern rust before, and it’s not usually something we have to worry about, but this is really bad,” Striegel says. “I’m standing on my deck looking at the cornfield next to my house, and you know, all of the leaves from the ears down in that field are covered with it.”

Southern rust is real in eastern Nebraska. Fungicide 3 weeks ago, 2nd app today with some potassium acetate pic.twitter.com/WZubU6IBwz
— Trent Mastny (@TrentMastny) August 21, 2025

How Late Is A Fungicide Application Still Worthwhile?

Ferrie says the fields he scouted last week were at late R3 to early R4 and had already been sprayed with fungicide at least once, but the disease was rebuilding.

“Any field where farmers had sprayed two weeks previously, the southern rust and northern corn leaf blight, to a lesser degree, were coming back, especially the southern rust. It was resporating,” he says.

The intense disease pressure from southern rust, tar spot and others have kept fungicide use at high levels this season, despite poor commodity prices.

“Because of that [amount of disease pressure], we have seen increased demand for our fungicides this year,” says Maertens, who encouraged customers to get applications made at the beginning of tassel.

Maertens says he has fielded a lot of questions this summer from farmers, asking how late they could go with a fungicide application and still benefit.

“Our recommendation is to get in front of disease,” he says. “Generally, we stop applications before we get to dent (R5). That’s not to say a later application can’t have some benefit, but our best results have been before infection was able to take place.”

Southern rust is a yield enemy farmers routinely face in the Southeast, reports corn yield champion Randy Dowdy, Valdosta, Ga. He participated in the Pro Farmer Crop Tour last week and said on U.S. Farm Report he believes many Midwest farmers still have time to address disease.

“We need to implore the fungicides, the technologies out there and get after it and protect this crop, especially that crop that still has not reached dent,” he says.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer likes to see farmers complete their fungicide applications on the front side of dough (early R4). “Once we get to early dent, I think it’s a little more challenging to get the payback consistently, though we’ve applied at early dent (R5), and seen a nice response,” says Bauer, who is based in south-central Michigan.

Under the tough disease pressure farmers are facing this year, Bauer is telling growers to scout fields and evaluate what growth stage their crop is in before they walk away or pull the fungicide trigger one last time.

She adds that farmers need to check the label to make sure the product used is able to address southern rust effectively. She describes these as “Cadillac” products containing the newest chemistry.

“When it comes to some of these diseases, especially southern rust and tar spot, I do believe a little bit of a Hail Mary pass can be effective,” she says. “Will it be as effective as an application you could have made on a more timely basis? Well, no, you could have made more money doing it timely, but you’re still protecting bushels and gaining ROI at the end.”

Ferrie adds that farmers might want to do the late-season fungicide application to keep their corn crop standing until they can put their harvest plan in place.

“Be doing the push test to check stalk quality,” he advises.

Southern Rust/Silage Alert!!

Southern Rust has been aggressively advancing in many fields, especially those without a fungicide treatment. In some situations the plants are shutting down prematurely and plant material is senescing rapidly.

While we typically want to get down… pic.twitter.com/aK3hGgZE19
— Pioneer Troy (@deutmeyer_troy) August 26, 2025

Striegel says some of the farmers around him are heading to fields to harvest their silage corn sooner than later, because of standability concerns. “Some of this corn got planted early, and we had a lot of heat. The crop matured quickly, and the diseases are kind of shutting it down. It’s just dying out, and guys are going to go get it,” he explains.

That’s the strategy Ferrie encourages farmers to use in regular production corn, too.

“Harvest the fields most at risk first. But if a field of corn goes down, go combine the fields where the corn is still standing and come back to that one later,” he recommends.

The reasoning is you don’t want to risk more corn going down while you’re harvesting the field of corn that already has.

“While I was driving through Iowa last week, I kept thinking that if I built corn reels to pick up down corn I’d bulk up my inventory, because I know where they’re going to get used,” Ferrie says, only half joking. “Yes, harvesting corn at 25% moisture is expensive, but down corn will kick your butt.”

Your next read: Revenge Applications: Why They Don’t Work, Cost You Money and Bushels, and Are Frankly Illegal

All The Details: Inside John Deere’s New F8 and F9 Forage Harvesters

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 18:20:35 GMT

John Deere is rolling out two new forage harvesters for North American dairy producers and custom harvesting operations.

The brand new F8 and F9 Series feature three factory-installed operator cab options, a technology stack that will one day enable autonomous operation, and enhanced feed quality via an integrated inoculant dosing system.

How are F8 and F9 different?
The F8 Series (425PS to 645PS) is a narrow base model that takes the place of Deere’s 8000 Series forage harvester, while the F9 Series (700PS to 1020PS) replaces the 9000 Series. Within the F9 Series is the F9 1000, which is Deere’s largest forage harvest machine to date.

(Editor’s Note: “PS” stands for Pferdestärke, which is the German term for horsepower. PS to horsepower is not an apples-to-apples equal ratio. The F9 1000, for example, features 1020PS which equates to 1,006HP, according to the manufacturer.)

The F9 is available in two engine options:

John Deere 18X (no DEF required)
Liebherr V12 24L

It has five horsepower options, while the F8 comes with the JD14X engine and can be configured across six horsepower options.

The manufacturer last rolled out completely new forage harvesters in 2019.

How much will each new model cost?

The feed rolls on John Deere’s F8 and F9 forage harvesters have integrated metal detection to keep unwanted material out of your feed.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

John Deere is not sharing its pricing just yet, but the two new models are built at its Zweibrucken, Germany, factory. John Deere dealers will begin taking orders for the aggressively styled, technology-packed harvesters this fall, with final delivery in time for the 2026 forage harvesting season.

Deere representatives declined comment on what effect, if any, the still-developing U.S.and E.U. tariff situation could have on its launch plans.

Ahead of the launch, Farm Journal went to Madison, Wisc., to kick the tires and learn all about the new machines. The F8 and F9 harvesters we viewed and climbed into were the first finished production units off the factory line. Deere says several units will be field tested with U.S. customers ahead of the full fall launch.

“We’re really excited about the new cab and the technology we’ve added to these machines like central tire inflation, ground speed automation and the new kernel processing units,” says Bergen Nelson, go-to-market manager, combines and forage harvesters.

Here’s some of what we learned about the new forage harvesters:

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Cab Comforts: The same three operator cab options offered with Deere’s X and S Series combines — Select, Premium and Ultimate — are available on the F8 and F9 Series. A smoothly swiveling captain’s chair, as well as an all-new corner post display that shows real-time machine data, are among the additions. Operators who spend long hours in the cab will also appreciate integrated entertainment like SXM Radio and an optional mini fridge.

(Matthew J. Grassi )

Foundational Deere Tech Stack: Each new forage harvester in the series includes Deere’s baseline precision tech enablement stack — which consists of its G5 display, Starfire 7500 receiver and JDLink modem.

Central Tire Inflation System: A completely new feature (top left inset photo) within the G5 display allows the operator to adjust front tire PSI up or down from the cab.

John Deere Inoculant Dosing System 2.0

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Inoculant Dosing System 2.0: New on both the F8 and F9, a high-volume 85 gallon inoculant tank and integrated pump allow the user to accurately adjust silage inoculant dosage rates from the G5 display in the cab. The system is easy to pump and prime as well with the touch of a button located at the rear of the machine.

Ground Speed Automation: This cruise control-like option reads RPMs and throttles the harvester up or down based on crop conditions. For example, harvesting corn at higher moisture levels will increase power output, so the machine will automatically slow down to ensure it doesn’t plug up or do a sub-optimal job harvesting. This feature comes standard on all base models for both series and does not require a yearly subscription unlock or per-acre fee.

Pro Touch Harvest: Another new feature within the G5 display allows the operator to shift the machine from road transport mode to harvest mode in a single click. It can also be used to quickly engage AutoTrac and ground speed automation once the operator arrives at the edge of field.

This all-new XStream 305 Kernel Processing (KP) unit is built by Scherer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New Kernal Processing (KP) Units: The new harvesters feature two completely redesigned KP units, the Ultimate 250 (also made in Germany) and the Scherer XStream 305, which is made in Sioux Falls, S.D. An integrated winch and internal rail mounting system makes switching the machine from corn forage to hay forage in the field quick and simple. The number signifies each KP unit’s roll diameter width in millimeters.

“Both KPs will go in both machines and have four different roll options depending on how aggressive the dairyman wants their end feed quality to be,” says Shane Campbell, product marketing manager, forage harvesters.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Integrated Harvest Lab 3000: This on-demand constituent sensing module pulls over 4,000 samples per second with +/- 2% accuracy, and John Deere says it can save dairy operations time and money versus collecting and sending samples to a lab. The sensor tech (available as an add-on option) enables accurate measurement and documentation of dry matter, starch, protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber for both harvested forage and manure. The data can be stored, organized and shared via Deere’s Operations Center. Within Operations Center, users can take geo-referenced data and build out spatial starch content — as well as moisture and protein — maps for hybrid selection and fertility management. Because if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Active Fill Control 3.0: Using sensors and cameras on the grain spout, this tech feature automatically detects the trailer or grain cart next to the forage harvester and begins filling it with a preselected fill strategy. This reduces the number of times an operator has to adjust the spout manually and also lessens fatigue and neck strain, according to Deere.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New Operating Modes: Several of the models within the F9 Series offer what Deere is calling its “Engine Power Plus” feature — which gives a sizeable horsepower boost when the machines senses it needs a little extra chopping power to the harvesting head. There is also an ECO mode that can be toggled on when the machines don’t need the extra torque.

Ease-Of-Access: Both models have side and rear panels that easily open to grant full access to the inner workings of the machines, making the new forage harvesters much easier to service and maintain without a lift or other heavy specialized equipment. The machine is setup so techs and mechanically-minded farmers will not have to climb underneath it to perform daily maintenance.

“At the end of the day, we know it’s all about the cow, and these machines will put out quality feed,” Nelson says. “We’ll have these out at the farm shows this summer, including Farm Progress Show, World Ag Expo, World Dairy Expo and the U.S. Custom Harvesters Convention.”

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Machinery News: John Deere Debuts Forage Harvesters, Ecorobotix Lettuce Algorithm, Kubota-Agtonomy Deal

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:10:19 GMT

John Deere has announced the launch of new F8 and F9 Series self-propelled forage harvesters, which the manufacturer says are built from the ground up with customer input to elevate forage performance and farm productivity.

Deere says the new F9 Series comes in two engine options — John Deere 18X and Liebherr V12 24L — with five horsepower options ranging from 700PS to 1020PS; the F8 Series comes with the JD14X engine bringing six horsepower options, ranging from 425PS to 645PS.

It also says the new machines offer improved automation with a higher level of comprehensive technology offerings compared with previous models.

The technology options include:

Ground speed automation — Deere also offers this feature on new S7 combines. The manufacturer says it helps maintain ideal load and prevent operator stress by adjusting ground speed in real time based on crop conditions.
ProTouch Harvest — A feature allowing operators to initiate multiple harvest-ready settings with the push of a button, while Active Fill Control ensures consistent truck fills even under the toughest harvesting conditions.

(John Deere)

“A higher-quality forage output with more power, more precision and more uptime, that’s the focus of the new forage harvesters for our customers,” said Bergen Nelson, John Deere go-to-market manager for harvesting equipment. “We’ve combined our strongest hardware with our newest and smartest precision ag technology to create higher-quality forage.”

More information on the new F8 and F9 Series SPFHs is available from a local John Deere dealer or deere.com.

Check out this test drive video from Farmworld_TV!

Specialty crop AI tech startup Ecorobtix unveils lettuce-thinning algorithm

Ecorobotix has announced the launch of its new lettuce-thinning algorithm, expanding the capabilities of its ARA Ultra High Precision (UHP) Sprayer to offer what it claims is one of the most advanced automated thinning solutions on the market.

The new functionality is available to ARA users via a software license.

“We’ve combined the power of AI with the reliability of ARA’s ultra-high precision spraying platform to eliminate one of the most time-consuming and labor-intensive tasks in the field: thinning,” said Katerina Lee, regional crop care manager for Ecorobotix.

Ecorobotix says its algorithm enables users to replace manual labor, grow crops with superior uniformity and cover fields faster than hand-labor crews.

Learn more here.

Kubota-Agtonomy join forces to develop autonomous specialty crop machinery

Kubota North America has announced a collaboration agreement with Agtonomy, an agricultural autonomy software provider, to commercialize autonomous operations on Kubota diesel tractors for spraying and mowing.

Kubota says the partnership reflects its commitment to pioneering solutions and equipping growers with smart technology.

“Our working relationship with Agtonomy represents a significant milestone toward commercializing our vision for autonomy by merging our expertise and technology with Agtonomy’s autonomous platform,” said Brett McMickell, chief technology officer for Kubota North America.

The initial phase of the partnership will focus on integrating Agtonomy’s capabilities with Kubota’s M5N specialty crop diesel tractor.

Learn more about Kubota’s vision for autonomous technology in farming here.

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Oh, Deer — What A Day on the Farm!

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 20:03:01 GMT

Deer are both majestic and maddening. They make for an exciting pursuit during hunting season, but they also wreak havoc on vehicles, tires and fields.

With approximately 36 million deer in the U.S., those who call rural America home know deer-vehicle collisions are common, especially in October, November and December. Based on this November 2022 study , around 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions occur annually, causing more than $10 billion in economic losses.

According to State Farm annual analysis , the top 10 states for animal collision, of which deer are the leading cause, are:

West Virginia
Montana
Michigan
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Mississippi
Iowa
South Dakota
Virginia
Rhode Island

A Farm Journal reader shared this run-in with a buck.

Deer – semi collision

(Farm Journal)

The Buck Stops Here
In addition to vehicle damage, unsuspecting tractor tires are often no match for deer sheds hiding in fields. Can you relate to these photos shared by fellow farmers?

Deer shed in tire

(Farm Journal)

Deer shed in tire

(Farm Journal)

Deer sheds in tires

(Farm Journal)

If you’ve had one of those horrible, no good, very bad days, or captured someone else’s, share it with Farm Journal. Whether you picked up a deer shed or sunk a piece of machinery in a mudhole, email images to whataday@farmjournal.com.

Shoo Deer — Not In My Field

Deer are a real pest when they graze, trample and bed down in crop fields. Depending on your crop’s stage, this can have economic consequences.

“Deer will feed on immature corn tassel tissue in the whorl during mid- to late-June and also on developing ears in early- to mid-August at the milk stage,” says Bob Nieslen, a retired Purdue University Extension corn specialist. “The decapitated plants usually survive, and ear development will continue through pollination and on to maturity, though the ears are usually less than full size.”

Thieves In Search of Antler Treasure
Awaiting the annual guarantee of antler drop in late winter or early spring, thieves hop private property lines to steal from those who manage. Lust or greed, the lure of shed treasure is a powerful pull to the public, despite purple paint, posted signs and fences.

Whitetail legend Steve Snow is on alert for shed poachers. Like a hot-nose coonhound, he zigzags through timber looking for fresh boot prints — the telltale sign someone is up to no good.

Snow is in hot pursuit of stolen sheds — a dose of frontier justice.

READ: Monster Deer Madness: Iowa Farmer Nabs Antler Thieves, Busts Multistate Shed Ring

Monster Buck Finds Its Way Back Home
Speaking of thieves, when 14-year-old Dave Richmond’s monster buck was stolen , he never gave up hope finding the spectacular rack. Following 14 years of cold-nosing dead-end trails, Richmond was stunned to receive an anonymous message: “I know where your deer is.”

Dumbfounded, Richmond was unable to accept the claim: “Impossible. Just no way. I figured it had to be someone pranking me.”

Two days later, he received a second message, along with an unmistakable photo.

“The picture told it all,” Richmond says. “I was looking at my deer.”

Welcome to a tale of deceit trumped by the enduring faith of a 14-year-old.

Dave Richmond recovers stolen deer antlers

(Photo by Whitetail Obsession Outdoors)

READ: Monster Buck Antlers Stolen from Teen Deer Hunter Recovered After 14 Years

An Ode to the Grain Cart Driver

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:42:59 GMT

I watch in awe as my small-framed, five-foot, seven-inch daughter drives our John Deere 8345R, pulling the 1,050-bushel grain cart like it’s her business. Which is good because that was her job this past weekend. And, when she pulled up next to the semi-truck and trailer that her father and I were in to unload it, I nervously said to her father, ‘She is so close.’ He assures me she is exactly where she needs to be.

I then watched Cassie evenly unload the grain cart into our hopper bottom trailer and quickly make a mad dash, driving away to hustle back to the combine. Once again, she is only a couple of feet away from the 8-row corn head with one hand steering and the other one taking another a call from the combine driver. Her grandfather.

Stubborn and a tad grouchy with rain on the horizon, Grandpa Jim gives her orders on where she needs to go. She sternly replies, “I know where I need to be.” Not too many people get away with talking to my husband’s 68-year-old father like that, but his 17-year-old granddaughter does. After all, she kinda runs the show.

Cassie is reliable and quick, and her driving skills have always turned heads. At age 11, she helped her grandfather haul round bales off a field. Cassie drove the dully and flatbed trailer around the field as her grandfather stacked round bales on the trailer. The twosome did this for hours, and then when they were done, Cassie pulled up around the barn and backed the truck and trailer in between two semi-trailers and dropped the trailer. The men watched her in awe. Soon after she was promoted to grain cart driver.

As a grain cart driver, Cassie must be a great mind reader. She must understand all those hand signals that are hard to interpret and hard to see when the sun is blaring through the window. Grandpa Jim likes to communicate with radios; Cassie does not. The day those radios mysteriously went missing, Cassie received 20 phone calls.

Those who have ever had this job understand all too well that the grain cart driver often is the person that takes all the blame. “Why is corn on the ground?” And demands you to speed up, then slow down and don’t drive through that. And, yells where the heck are you? That’s when my Cassie replies, “Grandpa, I can only drive so fast.”

Over two days, Saturday and Sunday, Cassie clocked in more than 20 hours. Only farmers will understand that isn’t a typo and only a farm kid will appreciate those long hours equal a heck of a paycheck, making it all worthwhile.

Paul Harvey said, “God made a Farmer,” but what he didn’t say, is that God also made a grain cart operator who can stand the toughest situations. Even when the operator is a high school senior, who I remind if you can successfully run the grain cart, then you can do anything.

Market Update: Drought in Brazil Pushes Soybean Contracts Higher

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:58:44 GMT

Friday’s Milk Production report, which showed there was more milk in August than expected, had a bearish effect on spot blocks and butter. But while prices dropped, the movement wasn’t dramatic. Spot blocks slipped to $2.2000 per pound, down $0.0375, while butter decreased to $2.9400 per pound, $0.0325 lower. Barrels, NDM and dry whey were unchanged.

Drought in Brazil threatens to delay planting and growing. That raises the potential for an extension of the US soybean export window into February 2025. As a result, soybean contracts jumped higher through 2026. Nearby futures had the biggest increases, with November 2024 and January 2025 contracts settling at $10.3925 and $10.5675, respectively, each up $0.2725.

US corn harvest is moving along, reaching 14% complete as of September 22. That compares to 9% last week and 11% on the five-year average. Soybean farmers are also bringing in crops at a relatively quick pace. Harvest is 13% completed, up from 6% the previous week and the five-year average of 8%.

Ever.Ag - The risk of loss trading commodity futures and options can be substantial. Investors should carefully consider the inherent risks in light of their financial condition. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources to be reliable, however, no independent verification has been made. The information contained herein is strictly the opinion of its author and not necessarily of Ever.Ag and is intended to be a solicitation. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:10:01 GMT

2023 was a year full of weather impacts on crops and livestock. From the intense heat in the South to the drought that parked itself across the South and Midwest, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says those are the two weather events that stole headlines this past year.

“When we look back at 2023, I’m actually going to break heat and drought into two separate categories,” says Rippey. “Really, when you look at the extreme heat this past year, it was focused across the deep South from Arizona to Florida, and pretty much everywhere in between. And that was certainly a huge weather story that affected parts of the cotton belt.”

From wiping out a large part of the cotton crop in west Texas to hitting sugar cane production in Louisiana, Rippey says nearly the entire deep South saw impacts of the year’s extreme heat.

“Of course, that came with drought in many cases. But when you look at these overall temperatures, the hottest summer on record and a lot of hottest months on record, that was a big story in the deep South,” says Rippey.

While other parts of the U.S. still had drought, in some areas it didn’t pack as big of a punch because it came without the heat. That was the case in much of the Corn Belt. The drought hit last year without the extended intense heat, which had a big impact on crops.

“We were very fortunate, especially in the Corn Belt, that we did not see the combination of extreme heat and drought at the same time. And that actually led to some of those better outcomes than expected for U.S. corn,” explains Rippey.

With USDA currently projecting the 2023 U.S. corn crop to be the largest on record, Rippey says the mild temperatures are what helped save the crops.

“You do see that things actually turned out better in states like Iowa. When you look at the rainfall numbers, they were abysmal, almost as dry as 2012. But then the heat just wasn’t there. And today’s varieties are little bit more tolerant of drought and heat. And the outcome was a little better than we expected,” says Rippey.

It wasn’t all good news. While crop yields turned out better than expected for some farmers, the lack of moisture continued to dwindle grazing conditions and hay stocks in 2023. Those created additional hurdles in rebuilding the shrinking U.S. cattle herd.

So, what was the culprit that caused the intense heat that suffocated the South during the summer months? Rippey says while it’s still being studied, he thinks it’s tied to one major weather event in 2023, in particular.

“I will go out on a limb and say that that may have been an early sneak attack from El Niño ,” says Rippey. “The reason I say that is that because we did have an early onset El Niño. It was pretty much in place by late spring, early summer. It’s pretty consistent with El Niño to have a big ridge of high pressure that comes out of Central America. And at times, we’ve seen it before, that does sometimes extend all the way into the southern tier of the United States.”

He says El Niño can also be tied to the shipping crisis that wreaked havoc on exports in 2023, causing massive shipping delays, as well as forcing shippers to carry lighter loads.

“And certainly what happened in Mexico and parts of Central America, think about the Central American drought that’s causing shipping problems in the Panama Canal. A lot of that, I think, could be tied to the heat in the atmosphere related to the early onset El Niño,” says Rippey.

According to Rippey, the drought in the Midwest can be attributed to the blocking high pressure that wouldn’t budge across Canada this past spring, summer or fall.

“The U.S. Midwest happened to be on the southern end of a lot of that high pressure over Canada. So when we think about that, think about the Canadian wildfires, all the smoke coming down. And we were just on the southern edge of that in the Midwest,” Rippey explains.

He says that, along with Northeasterly winds blocking moisture from the Gulf, is what caused the drought in the Midwest.

“At the same time, high pressure was far enough north that the heat and unusual warmth were actually focused across Canada. So, it wasn’t all that hot on the southern end of the high, but it was dry. And that led to that cool drought in the western Corn Belt,” he adds.

El Niño is still in play, as Rippey says El Niño made a splash once again to close out 2023.

“Now that El Niño has kicked in, it’s a strong event, it could be one of the strongest on record,” says Rippey. “We’re seeing that influence of El Niño starting to grab a hold of the reins of U.S. weather patterns. And that’s pretty normal and certainly should continue into early 2024.”

What’s on tap for 2024? Rippey forecasts the intense El Niño will lead to what he calls “pretty profound” impacts for the rest of the winter, and even into spring.

First Thing Today: North Korea Tensions Rise

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 07:45:01 GMT

Good morning!

Soybeans push to new highs for the month... Corn and soybean futures started the overnight session under pressure, but both markets are now trading high-range, with corn up a penny and soybeans 7 to 8 cents higher. Winter wheat futures are up 1 to 2 cents, with spring wheat posting even stronger gains. The U.S. dollar index is under moderate pressure, with crude oil futures also favoring the downside.

Harvest-friendly forecast... The National Weather Service forecast for Sept. 27 through Oct. 1 calls for normal temperatures and dry weather in the western Corn Belt and into Illinois. Indiana and Ohio are expected to see warm temperatures and normal rainfall. The Central and Southern Plains are expected to see cool, wet weather over this timeframe.

North Korean tensions rise... North Korea reacted to President Donald Trump’s latest sanctions, announced yesterday, with Kim Jong Un warning of the “highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history.” The country’s foreign minister suggested this could include testing a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific. Asian stocks closed slightly lower into the weekend following the increase in tensions.

NAFTA 2.0 negotiators meet for third round of talks in Ottawa... Round 3 of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) modernization renegotiations will include sensitive topics like dispute settlement and rules of origin for automobiles as negotiators meet Sept. 23-27 in Ottawa. An agreement on digital trade is expected to be an early win for the negotiators. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is getting ahead of a more challenging third round of NAFTA negotiations with Mexico and Canada by pushing for tougher rules of origin, based on the Trump administration’s belief that auto imports in particular have too little U.S. content. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will submit new proposals covering rules of origin, labor standards in Mexico and dispute resolution. U.S. negotiators view achieving several changes to NAFTA as necessary for meeting Trump’s goal of cutting the U.S. trade deficit. This includes: limiting Buy American procurement waivers, increasing U.S. content in rules of origin, raising Mexican wages, and changing investment rules.

Strong Russian wheat shipments thus far in 2017-18... Russia will likely export 4.1 MMT of wheat in September, projects the ag consultancy SovEcon. This would be a 15.8% increase from year-ago and 195,000 MT increase from August. For the first three months of the 2017-18 marketing year, the consultancy projects grain exports will total 9.4 MMT, up 1.058 MMT (12.7%) from this point in 2016-17. Egypt has been its top customer.

Rainy weather reportedly slows Russian winter grain seeding... Rainy weather has delayed winter grain plantings in Russia, reports Pyotr Checkmarev, head of the ag ministry’s crop growing department. He also said “next year does not really promise a good harvest,” which is why the country should have reserves for next year. But the latest ag ministry data does not reflect any major delays. As of Sept. 21, 10.0 million hectares had been planted, or 57.5% of the intended winter grain area. That compares to seedings of 10.1 million hectares at this point last year. Regarding the 2017 grain crop, the ag ministry is sticking with its 110 MMT by clean weight peg, which is well below crop estimates from other analysts topping 130 MMT. The ministry explains that there is risk some areas won’t harvest their crop before cold weather hits.

Lagging EU wheat shipments... From the start of the 2017-18 marketing year through Sept. 19, The European Union has exported 3.7 MMT of soft wheat, down 42% from last year at this point, official trade data shows. The region has struggled to compete against an influx of cheap wheat out of the Black Sea region.

Arkansas advances a measure to ban dicamba use over growing season... Arkansas’ State Plant Board advanced a proposal that would ban the use of dicamba weed killers from April 16 to Oct. 31, 2018, meaning the state is just one step away from enacting an official ban on the herbicide that farmers charge can drift and damage crops not meant to withstand the chemical. Monsanto’s Vice President of Global Regulatory Ty Vaughn said the decision was not based on science and warned that “all options are on the table for Monsanto’s next move.” Previously, the company said it may file a lawsuit if the board denied its petition for it to reject the proposed cutoff date for sprayings, which the board did with a unanimous vote. BASF and DuPont also sell dicamba herbicides under different brand names. After a public comment period and public hearing on Nov. 8, the proposal will move to the Arkansas legislative subcommittee for final approval.

Senators push for more funding of ag export promotion programs... A group of lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation that would double funding over the course of five years for two of USDA’s export promotion programs -- the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program. The measure was introduced by Senators Joe Donnely (D-Ind.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). “As American farmers and ranchers are struggling with historically low commodity prices, maintaining and strengthening U.S. trade relationships around the world is critical to the survival and profitability of the agricultural community,” Ernst explained, adding that these programs have “proven to be effective in expanding foreign markets for American agricultural goods.”

Exchange lowers initial margins on live cattle... CME Group has lowered initial margins for speculators in live cattle futures from $1,925 per contract to $1,650 per contract; the rates will take effect after the close of business today.

Another week of extended cash cattle negotiations... Cash negotiations are again stretching late into the week. So far, just a few hundred head have changed hands in Kansas around $107. Trade could be limited leading up to the Cattle on Feed and Cold Storage Reports this afternoon. The former is expected to show a 2.9% drop in Placements from year-ago.

Pork tumbles as aggressive slaughter continues... For the third day in a row, packers slaughtered an estimated record-high 455,000 hogs on Thursday, keeping this week’s kill ahead of week-ago and well ahead of year-ago levels. In fact, this week’s kill could be near the fall high. An abundance of pork has also weighed on the product market. The pork cutout value plunged $3.01 yesterday and it is now down $4.58 from last Friday. Movement also slowed after strong load counts the prior two days.

Overnight demand news... South Korea issued a tender to buy 55,000 MT of corn from worldwide origins.

Today’s reports:

2:00 p.m., Cattle on Feed -- NASS
2:00 p.m., Chickens and Eggs -- NASS
2:00 p.m., Cold Storage -- NASS

Compare Self Propelled Windrowers

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:33:30 GMT

When it’s time to cut hay, you need the right machine, ready to go, to get as much hay down as quickly as possible. This product comparison looks at machines from five brands within the self-propelled windrower market, using engine horsepower as a relatively common denominator across all models.

Each model comes with a variety of header types and sizes, in addition to conditioner styles, to fit your crop and harvest needs. As far as operator comfort is concerned, each model offers basic to deluxe cab packages, in addition to precision guidance options.

Click on the links below to go to product websites for each model shown.

New Holland Speedrower 220

Case IH WD2104

John Deere W235

MacDon M1240

Massey Ferguson/Hesston WR9870

Corn Silage Harvest is Underway

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 03:03:11 GMT

Corn silage harvest is underway in some parts of the country. Farmers began sharing photos and videos of silage harvest on Twitter last week. They indicate some farms will be able to overcome the many challenges of 2019.

First trucks rolling in! First day of silage harvest at our farm. ⁦@danbyers90⁩ pic.twitter.com/zhkmZcbPcT
— Maria Cox (@MariaCoxFarm) September 2, 2019

Silage Harvest is in full swing in the Panhandle! #cornsilage #plantpioneer @MasonWinters21 pic.twitter.com/fxAzUDI23g
— Jenna Winters (@jenna_wint) August 30, 2019

Happy dog day to my favorite 4 legged creature to walk the planet ❤️ Jersey was supervising our corn silage harvest yesterday to ensure our cows get the best quality feed for this coming year 🌽🐾 pic.twitter.com/GV6P6tsFN9
— Heather Shinn (@MsShinn_Ag) August 26, 2019

Corn silage harvest...one of our favorite times of the year! #corn #kansas #silage19 pic.twitter.com/Mve132Y6fV
— Greg Peterson (@gregpeterson33) August 7, 2019

Hoping the rest of our harvest is as big as our silage harvest was! #harvest19 pic.twitter.com/MK46pSy2Aa
— Lisa Taylor (@NemethLisa) August 30, 2019

#Corn 🌽 Silage harvest full on south of Garden City #Kansas near @NutrienAgRetail Country Store branch #Copeland Kansas #Harvest2019 pic.twitter.com/ZghBcWcdqY
— Stephen Sexton (@AGRICENLIFER) August 26, 2019

With the unprecedented Spring impacting the beginning of the 2019 growing season, we’re curious how your silage looks.

Take this poll to share let us know how quality and quantity are looking on your farm.

VOTE HERE.

Fall Means Farm Equipment on Roads

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 01:47:20 GMT

The arrival of fall means trees changing colors, football games, tailgates and apple cider. It also means farmers will be harvesting crops. While driving, you may encounter farm equipment—a combine or tractor pulling an implement. This equipment must operate on highways to get from farm to field or field to field. Farm equipment may be wider than one lane, or in some cases wider than the road, and travels at slow speeds, typically 10 to 15 mph.

If you approach a piece of wide farm equipment, slow down and be patient. The farmer understands your trip may be delayed, so they will pull off the road at the first available safe location to allow you to pass. Road shoulders may be narrow, steep, wet or soft, so they may not be able to pull over immediately.

Just as motorists are allowed to drive their vehicles on public roadways, farmers are legally allowed to operate farm equipment on these same roads. Caution, courtesy and patience are necessary to ensure the safety of motorists and operators of slow-moving farm equipment.

Motorists and farmers have an obligation to share the road safely.

Safety tips for motorists following or approaching farm equipment

Pass with caution if a farmer has pulled off the road to allow you to pass, or if they cannot pull off and you feel you must pass.
Be watchful of motor vehicles behind you that may also try to pass.
Do not pass if you must enter the oncoming traffic lane unless you can see clearly ahead of you and the vehicle you will pass.
Do not pass if there are curves or hills ahead that may block your view of the view of oncoming vehicles.
Do not pass in a designated “No Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad crossing or bridge.
Do not assume that a farm vehicle that pulls to the right side of the road is going to let you pass. Due to the size of some farm implements, the farmer must use wide left-hand turns. If you are unsure, check for turn signals or operator hand signals. Also, check the left side of the road for driveways, gates or any place a farm vehicle might turn into.
Do not assume the farmer can see you or knows you are there if you are following. Most operators are regularly checking traffic behind them and newer farm equipment is will equipped with mirrors. That said, the farmers must spend most of the time looking ahead to keep equipment safely on the road and watch for oncoming traffic.

Safety tips for farmers taking wide equipment on rural roads

Michigan law requires a slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblem and additional reflectors on any implement of husbandry, farm tractor and special mobile equipment. It is required on every vehicle that has a maximum speed potential of 25 mph operated on public highways. The Michigan Farmer’s Transportation Guidebook contains additional information on the requirement for operating farm vehicles on public roads.
Always keep the SMV emblem clean with the point of the triangle up. Replace emblem when it fades, normally every 2 to 3 years.
Turn on your lights, but turn off the rear spotlights when going onto the road. Rear spotlights can look like headlights.
Use pilot vehicles, one in front and one in back, if you are going a long distance or traveling on a heavily traveled road. Pilot vehicles should be well marked with brightly colored flags or appropriate lighting.
Install mirrors on equipment to enable you to be aware of motorists around you. Be careful where mirrors are placed so not to obstruct vision.

Caution, courtesy, patience and attention to the safety tips for motorist and farmers will help ensure the safety of motorists and the operators of slow-moving farm equipment on our rural roads during this fall harvest season.

In their memory

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 17:26:17 GMT

In case you missed it you can now share the -8-25-20 evening of absurdity with nationally-syndicated cartoonists Leigh Rubin, creator of the comic strip “Rubes,” and Wisconsin State Journal editorial cartoonist Phil Hands. This odd couple riffed off each other’s cartoons, demonstrated how the twisted minds of two different cartoonists work. If you’ve ever wanted to learn from a professional smart-aleck or full-time doodler, now’s your chance!

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/DMKXBYXOkHQ