Posted on Jul 4, 2022
July’s weather will be critical for Midwest corn farmers and, possibly, consumers
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Farmers across much of the Corn Belt got a late start planting their corn this year. July could make or break this year’s crop. A poor harvest could fuel inflation and have a ripple effect for consumers.
Mark Mueller sleeps anxiously this time of year. Except when it rains.
The northeast Iowa farmer said the corn on his farm near Waverly is slightly shorter than normal for this time of year, but he expects that to change very soon.
“Every year, I do more pray for rain in July than I do the rest of the year combined,” Mueller said. “I never sleep easy in the month of July except on nights when it rains.”
Mueller and other farmers across much of the Corn Belt got a late start planting their corn this year. Cold and wet conditions put them behind, but recent rains and warmer temperatures have fueled the crop’s growth. July could make or break the crop.
Corn growers across the U.S. produced more than 15 billion bushels last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service. It goes into America’s food system, ethanol production and animal feed. But it’s also used to make food packaging, candy and glue.
Mark Mueller sleeps anxiously this time of year. Except when it rains.
The northeast Iowa farmer said the corn on his farm near Waverly is slightly shorter than normal for this time of year, but he expects that to change very soon.
“Every year, I do more pray for rain in July than I do the rest of the year combined,” Mueller said. “I never sleep easy in the month of July except on nights when it rains.”
Mueller and other farmers across much of the Corn Belt got a late start planting their corn this year. Cold and wet conditions put them behind, but recent rains and warmer temperatures have fueled the crop’s growth. July could make or break the crop.
Corn growers across the U.S. produced more than 15 billion bushels last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service. It goes into America’s food system, ethanol production and animal feed. But it’s also used to make food packaging, candy and glue.
July’s weather will be critical for Midwest corn farmers and, possibly, consumers
Posted from kcur.orgPosted in these groups: 
Farming
Agriculture
Farming Agriculture
Posted 2 y ago
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Used to follow this closely when wife's family had 3 farms in Iowa. They were sold off over a decade ago to an agra-conglomerate. 3 family farms now mega businesses.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Harvest Public Media is Out of Kansas City here, On KCUR so I Hear their Reports Frequently! https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia
Harvest Public Media - Homepage | KCUR 89.3 - NPR in Kansas City
A public media collaboration that reports on food and agriculture in the Midwest, based at KCUR 89.3 - NPR In Kansas City.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The issue,” he said, “is the energy that it’s taken in from the sun and the nutrients it’s pulled from the soil is used to preserve the life of the crop, not used to be put into creating sugar that eventually fills out each kernel of corn.”
Snodgrass is forecasting thunderstorms throughout the first week of July, “and this could really buy time for the Corn Belt” in dealing with the effects of drought. There is still a risk, he said, of drought redeveloping later this month and into August because of La Nina — cold temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that can cause drier conditions in the Midwest.
The U.S. is looking at a possible rare third year of La Nina in the Pacific next winter which, if it sticks around, could bring more drought concerns for the Midwest next summer."
..."The issue,” he said, “is the energy that it’s taken in from the sun and the nutrients it’s pulled from the soil is used to preserve the life of the crop, not used to be put into creating sugar that eventually fills out each kernel of corn.”
Snodgrass is forecasting thunderstorms throughout the first week of July, “and this could really buy time for the Corn Belt” in dealing with the effects of drought. There is still a risk, he said, of drought redeveloping later this month and into August because of La Nina — cold temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that can cause drier conditions in the Midwest.
The U.S. is looking at a possible rare third year of La Nina in the Pacific next winter which, if it sticks around, could bring more drought concerns for the Midwest next summer."
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