Posted on Sep 11, 2023
Corn across the Midwest is showing the effects of heat and drought, USDA report finds
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Recent heat and drought have fueled concerns about this year’s corn crop, as producers in the Midwest see a wide range of conditions.
Dolf Ivener walks through one of his western Iowa fields, where many of the corn leaves have already turned from green to a dried-out hue of brown.
“Generally, this corn would be between eight and nine feet tall. And I would say right now that's, maybe, seven feet tall? So, it's probably two-and-a-half feet shorter,” he said.
Ivener tracks precipitation through a phone app and sees big variations between more than a dozen crop locations spread over several counties. Some of his farms received 21 inches this season, while others received around just 14 inches.
“And when you go out and look at them, it is glaring,” he said. “You don't need the smart device to tell you they didn't get as much rain.”
Dolf Ivener walks through one of his western Iowa fields, where many of the corn leaves have already turned from green to a dried-out hue of brown.
“Generally, this corn would be between eight and nine feet tall. And I would say right now that's, maybe, seven feet tall? So, it's probably two-and-a-half feet shorter,” he said.
Ivener tracks precipitation through a phone app and sees big variations between more than a dozen crop locations spread over several counties. Some of his farms received 21 inches this season, while others received around just 14 inches.
“And when you go out and look at them, it is glaring,” he said. “You don't need the smart device to tell you they didn't get as much rain.”
Corn across the Midwest is showing the effects of heat and drought, USDA report finds
Posted from kcur.org
Farming
Agriculture
Water
USDA
Climate Change
Posted 8 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"The drought in the Midwest is affecting corn harvest, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported a significant rise in the proportion of poor and very poor corn crops this summer, due largely to the extreme drought across much of the center of the nation. The corn crop in the affected region is a main feedstock for ethanol, which is blended into gasoline1. If dry temperatures carry on in the next few weeks, these could have a significant negative impact on the corn crops in the Midwest, as the region could face the worst drought in 30 years"...
"The drought in the Midwest is affecting corn harvest, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reported a significant rise in the proportion of poor and very poor corn crops this summer, due largely to the extreme drought across much of the center of the nation. The corn crop in the affected region is a main feedstock for ethanol, which is blended into gasoline1. If dry temperatures carry on in the next few weeks, these could have a significant negative impact on the corn crops in the Midwest, as the region could face the worst drought in 30 years"...
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Ohio was very lucky this year, we had a few really hot days but not many. What we did get is rain almost on a weekly basis, the Corn appears to be one of the best I've seen in 30 years, Beans are the same way.
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Should have seen my corn. It didn't get over 3ft. The heat was brutal here and our monsoon season is MIA.
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