Tuesday July 16 Crop Progress + Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending July 14, 2024, there were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4% very short, 21% short, 62% adequate, and 13% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 4% very short, 23% short, 61% adequate, and 12% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 4% poor, 16% fair, 52% good, and 26% excellent. Corn silking was 49%, ahead of 43% last year and 30% for the five-year average. Dough was 8%, ahead of 1% both last year and average.

Soybean condition rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 18% fair, 56% good, and 21% excellent. Soybeans blooming was 72%, ahead of 56% last year, and well ahead of 52% average. Setting pods was 22%, ahead of 15% last year and 13% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 25% fair, 50% good, and 18% excellent. Winter wheat harvested was 70%, well ahead of 18% last year and 36% average.

Sorghum condition rated 0% very poor, 1% poor, 21% fair, 67% good, and 11% excellent. Sorghum headed was 7%, near 4% last year and 9% average.

Oats condition rated 1% very poor, 1% poor, 25% fair, 59% good, and 14% excellent. Oats harvested was 34%, well ahead of 12% last year, and ahead of 18% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 0% very poor, 0% poor, 19% fair, 68% good, and 13% excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 20%, near 19% last year, and ahead of 13% average. Setting pods was 1%.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 24% fair, 53% good, and 17% excellent.



Iowa Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report

Most of the State received below normal rainfall and experienced mild temperatures. These conditions allowed Iowa farmers 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 14, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting oats for grain, cutting and baling hay, and applying fungicides.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 84 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 8 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

Corn silking or beyond reached 44 percent, 1 day ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn crop in the dough stage reached 6 percent, 5 days ahead of the average. Corn condition rated 74 percent good to excellent.

Soybean crop blooming reached 50 percent, 3 days behind last year. Soybeans setting pods reached 12 percent, 1 day behind last year but equal to the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 72 percent good to excellent.

Oats turning color reached 82 percent, 5 days ahead of the average. Oat harvest for grain jumped to 26 percent complete, 1 week ahead of the average. Oat condition was 77 percent good to excellent.

The State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 57 percent complete, 5 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the average. Hay condition rated 78 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 71 percent good to excellent. Some pastures remain flooded and where floodwaters have receded some pastures are covered in silt.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Despite scattered reports of crop damage from hail, high winds and flooding in some states across the Corn Belt, national condition ratings for both corn and soybeans held steady last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. Development of both crops also continued ahead of five-year average paces, NASS said.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 41%, 1 percentage point ahead of last year's 40% and 9 points ahead of the five-year average of 32%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 8%, 2 points ahead of last year's 6% and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 4%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 68% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week and still well ahead of last year's 57%. Nine percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, unchanged from the previous week and below 13% last year.

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans blooming was pegged at 51%, equal to last year's pace but 7 points ahead of the five-year average of 44%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 18%, slightly ahead of last year's 17% and 6 points ahead of the five-year average of 12%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 68% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, also unchanged from the previous week and above last year's rating of 55% good to excellent.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 8 percentage points to reach 71% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 18 points ahead of last year's 53% and 9 points ahead of the five-year average pace of 52%.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Crop development: 76% of spring wheat was headed, 6 percentage points behind last year's 82% and 2 points behind the five-year average of 78%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 77% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, up 2 percentage points from 75% the previous week. That remains well ahead of last year's rating of 51% good to excellent.



Corn Diseases Developing in Some Fields — What To Watch
Tamra Jackson-Ziems - NE Extension Plant Pathologist

A few diseases have begun in corn fields in Nebraska. Frequent rainfall in recent weeks favored disease development and spread of plant pathogens. Some of those diseases are only becoming evident (visible) now. Dry and hot weather conditions could help to slow most diseases. In addition, frequent irrigation may also support disease development and spread. Thus, it’s important to scout corn for diseases and continue to scout regularly.

Tar Spot
Tar spot has been confirmed on samples this season in several counties in eastern Nebraska and in surrounding states, including Colfax, Dodge, and Saunders counties. Tar spot pressure is still very low in most areas, but beginning to increase in others where there’s a history of more disease. It’s important to remember that the tar spot fungus disease cycle requires an average of two to three weeks before symptoms are visible to us after infection. Thus, we may continue to see tar spot development in the coming days, even in spite of hot temperatures, from infections that occurred during the last two to three weeks when conditions were more favorable.

Symptoms
The tar spot fungus produces small black spots (reproductive structures called stromata) on upper leaf surfaces. Spots will eventually appear black underneath on the bottom side of leaves too, and will continue to grow larger and elongate along leaf veins. A few spots may also have tan rings around them. But, black spots are common on corn leaves right now and are often insect frass instead of tar spot. Insect frass can be very difficult to distinguish from tar spot and can lead to costly misdiagnoses. The tar spot fungus is embedded in the leaf and can’t be wiped off like insect frass, so be sure to wet and firmly rub black spots on leaves before calling it tar spot and making treatment decisions.

Management
Corn hybrids vary in their reaction to tar spot, thus selecting hybrids with better disease ratings (indicating more resistance) can help reduce disease severity. During the growing season, application of foliar fungicides can be effective at managing the disease when applied at appropriate time(s). Fungicides with a mixture of active ingredients from two or more fungicide classes provided the best control of tar spot. Results further showed that products applied once between VT (full tassel emergence) through R3 (milk) when disease pressure was low (less than 5% on the ear leaf) were effective controlling tar spot during most years. It’s important to continue scouting regularly to monitor tar spot and other disease changes to make timely treatment decisions. See the Crop Protection Network for more information, including the recent article about managing tar spot.

What to Expect Next
Tar spot will likely continue to develop in eastern Nebraska counties, especially in irrigated fields, albeit slower during hot, dry weather. The disease is known for increasing more rapidly during the latter grain fill stages, so expect it to increase more later in the season. It’s likely that the distribution of the fungus and tar spot will continue to expand, both locally as the fungus increases in an area and especially to fields and counties further west. Diseased samples are needed to confirm the disease in new areas.

Other Diseases
Some other diseases are active in Nebraska corn fields right now, too. Bacterial leaf streak, also worsened by wet conditions, has been surprisingly aggressive in some fields. It’s important that you can recognize the difference between this disease and the common fungal disease, gray leaf spot (GLS) that is also active in the lower leaves of some fields.

Southern rust has been confirmed in several Kansas counties, including in northeast Kansas. Fields in southern Nebraska should also be monitored closely for southern rust in the coming days/weeks.

Common rust has also been noted in many Nebraska fields this year following the frequent and widespread rain. The color of some common rust pustules appeared more orange than the typical brick red/brown, making them appear more similar to southern rust and more difficulty to differentiate.



Haskell Ag Lab Hosts 2 events in August

Forage Field Day
Get registered for the Aug. 6 Forage Field Day at the UNL Haskell Ag Lab! Forages are an unsung hero in the Midwest. The 2024 Forage Field Day program will focus on a variety of forage topics, including plot tours, panel discussions, and classroom talks. Classroom talks include risk protection and incentive programs, annual forage mixes, beef and dairy forage nutrition, silage pile shape and cover, and alfalfa diseases/pests. Pre-registration is requested. For more information, registration, and an agenda, go to http://go.unl.edu/foragefieldday2024.

Family Field Day - August 7 from 9 AM to 3 PM
Family Field Day is right around the corner! There will be several presentations and tours throughout the day. The programming aims to show the agricultural practices being utilized at the Haskell Ag Lab and highlight the research and projects produced by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska Extension.

Some of the upcoming presentations and tours:
    Current Trends in Nebraska Land Value, Cash Rent, and Lease Considerations for 2024
    What's You Cost of Production and Breakeven Prices? The ABC's of Enterprise Budgeting
    Great Plains Heifer Development Center Update
    Pathology Research Tour
    And more!

Learn more about the presentations and tours at https://go.unl.edu/hal24-presentations.



Take Action Now: White Mold Threat in Soybeans
Dylan Mangel - NE Extension Plant Pathologist

As we approach the critical period for managing white mold in soybeans, it's essential to make informed decisions to mitigate potential losses. Sclerotinia stem rot, or white mold, significantly impacted yields in 2023, and proactive management is crucial for this season. The key factors to keep in mind are:
    Flowering Susceptibility: Soybean plants are most vulnerable to white mold during the flowering stage.
    Protective Measures: Ensuring flowers are protected is essential for preventing infection and controlling the disease. Late management will not save infected plants.
    Environmental Conditions: Wet, humid environments facilitate the spread of white mold.

Pathogen Overview
Sclerotinia stem rot, commonly known as white mold, is a fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The fungus survives overwinter in soil as hard, dark structures called sclerotia. In spring, saturated soils and a full canopy favor the emergence of apothecia — mushroom-like structures that release millions of airborne spores during flowering. These spores infect soybeans primarily through senescing blossoms and injured tissue, requiring free moisture for infection. The disease typically prevents successful pod development and produces more sclerotia on and in the stems, which are scattered back onto the soil during harvest and can survive for several years.

Disease Symptoms
Symptoms appear during pod development, starting with wilting and discoloration of leaves. Infected stems and pods show white mycelium and sclerotia, with water-soaked lesions initiating near colonized flowers. Stems become tan, bleached, pithy, and shred easily. Symptoms typically occur six to 14 inches above the soil but can also affect basal parts.

Favorable Environmental Conditions
White mold develops from flowering to pod formation under wet, humid conditions with moderate temperatures (<85°F). It is more prevalent in northern counties and irrigated fields with consistent moisture and cooler canopy temperatures.

Management Strategies
Genetic Resistance: Choose varieties rated against white mold, avoiding highly susceptible ones, and select shorter varieties that do not lodge.

Cultural Practices: Use wider row spacing (30-inch over 15-inch) to delay canopy closure and reduce humidity. Avoid irrigation during flowering. Rotate with non-host crops like corn and wheat, and maintain good weed control, as some weeds and cover crops can host the fungus.

Chemical/Biological Control: Apply foliar fungicides during the susceptibility window at flowering if there is a field history of white mold and favorable weather conditions for disease development. Late applications made after the infection window are not effective. Refer to the Crop Protection Network and the UNL 2024 Guide for Weed, Disease and Insect Management in Nebraska for fungicide efficacy test results to find products that are effective on the pathogen.



Dectes Stem Borer in Soybean
Justin McMechan - NE Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist

We observed the emergence of Dectes stem borer adults on June 10 in Cass County, with adult emergence at all monitoring sites in eastern Nebraska by June 19. Adults were first observed in North Platte on June 17 and reports from Grant, Nebraska were received on June 28. While Dectes soybean stem borer populations have previously been reported mostly in the eastern and south-central parts of the state, their presence in west-central and southwestern Nebraska seems to be increasing within the last several years.

With adult emergence comes calls regarding recommendations for treating to prevent larval infestations that could lead to stem lodging at harvest. Dr. Robert Wright, a recently retired faculty member in the UNL Department of Entomology, conducted research on Dectes stem borer for the better part of a decade. Research studies at the South Central Ag Lab found that peak stem borer adult activity was in early July in soybean fields. Although we are not tracking this information this year, we have noticed significant adult activity in soybean fields over the last seven to 10 days. At the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, careful inspection of the upper four nodes of early planted soybean on June 20 showed scarring on leaf petiole associated with egg laying and small larvae present within those petioles.

Management of Dectes stem borer is challenging because of the inability to detect consisten yield losses from larval feeding in the stem without lodging. Studies conducted in multiple states from 2007 to 2011 found that with an 84% reduction in infested plants, yields only differed by 0.7 bu/acre from larval feeding within the stem. Significant yield losses can occur when the larvae prepare their overwintering chamber by girdling the base of the stem towards the end of the growing season. This girdling behavior doesn’t completely cut the plant but weakens it to a point where strong winds or storms can cause the plants to fall over.

Scouting in August for signs of Dectes stem borer can help prioritize fields that are at risk for an early harvest. Scouting at that point in the season is easier as you can watch for signs of a dead or wilting trifoliate on an otherwise healthy plant. Splitting the main stem can confirm the presence of absence of larvae. Fields with 50% or greater stems infested should be prioritized for early harvest.

The risk for lodging is greater on soybean that are planted early in the season to a shorter maturity group. In addition, 30-inch row spacings are a greater risk of lodging compared to narrower rows.

To date, there are no economic thresholds for Dectes stem borer. A great deal of research on Dectes has been conducted by entomologists at Kansas State University. (See the KSU Department of Entomology site.)

People planning on using an insecticide to control Dectes beetles should be aware that adult control is not highly correlated with levels of larval infestation at the end of the season, possibly due to the long period of activity and egg-laying of Dectes beetles. Multiple insecticide applications to control Dectes may not improve grower profits and may lead to late-season outbreaks of other pests such as spider mites or soybean aphids, by eliminating natural enemies that help suppress these arthropod pests.

See NebGuide G2082, Soybean Stem Borers in Nebraska for additional information on soybean stem borer.



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for July 2024

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in July. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Wednesday, July 24— Fairbury
    Tuesday, July 30 — Norfolk
    Friday, July 31 — Valentine

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



Mexico City Red Meat Symposium Attended by Board Member Cutler

Nebraska Beef Council Board Member Michele Cutler of Elsie recently took part in a memorable trip to Mexico City to attend their first ever held United States Meat Export Federation Red Meat Symposium. Cutler said that she was interested in participating in this particular experience to see first hand what the Red Meat Symposium was all about.

“I wanted to see how the producers check-off dollars that we invested towards the event were being utilized,” said Cutler. “The USMEF Red Meat Symposium in Mexico City was the first of its kind. As part of the symposium, a Product Showcase took place, facilitating connections between Mexican importers from the retail, foodservice, and processing sectors with U.S. companies.”

Cutler said this allowed the attendees personally experience U.S. beef and pork products while in Mexico. Additionally, the event featured seminars and keynote speakers who discussed topics relevant to these sectors, such as e-commerce trends and U.S.-Mexico trade policy.

The most interesting thing Cutler experienced was the Wet Meat Market, an open air market that mostly sold beef and pork and all of the variety and cuts of meat that go along with them. Cutler explained that the animals were most likely processed the evening before or the morning of the day of the market.

“It was amazing to see how all parts of the animal are utilized for consumption,” said Cutler. “There are many variety meats that we here in the U.S do not consume, but in Mexico there isn’t anything left for waste!”

She added that 55% of the meat produced in the country is sold through Wet Markets, while the other 45% is sold through retail markets such as Costco, City Market and smaller retail stores. After attending the meat market, the group was bused to another part of the city to tour Costco, Chedraui, and City Market. Cutler said the markets all sold U.S. Beef and it was merchandised as such with USMEF/U.S. Beef or Pork labels on the packages.

Cutler says visiting one of the world’s largest cities and the Red Meat Symposium itself were both very eye-opening experiences that she looks forward to sharing with other producers.

“I learned that we need to let producers know how important it is to keep developing demand for U.S. Beef in Mexico,” said Cutler. “Producers check-off investments are being wisely spent, this symposium was a good example of our check-off dollars at work!”

For more information and to learn more about the Nebraska Beef Council, visit www.nebeef.org.



20 community banks with the most farm loans
AmericanBanker.com

The top five community banks in our ranking have combined farm loan portfolios of more than $1 billion as of March 31, 2024. All 20  banks increased their farm loans over the previous year, with one seeing a rise of 16.2%.  Among the banks that made the list are...
5) Heartland Bank of Geneva, NE - ranked 5th with a farm loan volume of $196,960,000.
7) Madison Country Bank of Madison, NE - ranked 7th with a farm loan volume of $185,952,000.
12) Premier Bank of Rock Valley, IA - ranked 12th with a farm loan volume of $161,814,000.
13) Citizens State Bank of Wisner, NE ranked 13th with a farm loan volume of $159,197,000.
19) Primebank of Le Mars, IA - ranked 19th with a farm loan volume of $137,690,000.



Magalhaes Brings Innovation, Science and Excitement to Pork Center

Some people love to work with numbers and data, and some people love to work with people. Edison Magalhaes counts both among his skills and looks forward to sharing his excitement with colleagues and pork producers in Iowa. As the first-ever innovative swine systems extension faculty member in Iowa State University's Department of Animal Science, he began the position July 1 and is housed in the Iowa Pork Industry Center.

Already, he's working to develop a program that will capitalize on his strengths and the needs of people in the industry.

"My primary responsibilities are extension and research, so I expect to be out in the field a lot to understand the needs of producers," he said. "Also, I plan to develop a robust research and extension program at Iowa State that advances scientific knowledge and has a practical impact on the swine industry."

Magalhaes has been working in the field for nearly a decade. His journey to Iowa State began with receiving a DVM in Brazil in 2015, followed by more than four years as a swine veterinary practitioner at Brazil Foods Company, the largest swine production system in that country. He came to Iowa State in 2019, finished a master's degree in preventive veterinary medicine in 2021, and two years later completed a doctorate in population sciences in animal health.

About the numbers ...
Throughout his graduate program, he developed algorithms and used machine learning to build an automated platform to integrate and analyze swine data collected under field conditions. The primary goal of this research was to identify, measure and predict the major drivers of swine wean-to-finish mortality, thus supporting the data-driven decision-making process for swine producers.

"My work has involved extensive collaboration with swine companies, where I have developed a deep understanding of how to apply data science to real-world swine production challenges," he said. "Even though my research was mostly focused on health and wean-to-finish mortality, the foundation of the work was the application of data science concepts on swine big data."

He expects to promote precision swine health and productivity using data science and field studies, and said there are "tons of data out there in the field" and this is a low-hanging fruit for the industry.

"My experience at the College of Veterinary Medicine has provided me with a solid foundation in swine health and production, which I will leverage in my new role," he said. "The animal science department at Iowa State is the right place to develop a nationally and internationally recognized precision swine health and productivity program, given its infrastructure, the renowned faculty team, the IPIC and solid collaborations with producers."

He looks forward to speaking at meetings and workshops out in the state and sharing his passion for using data to make positive differences in the pork industry.

"I am excited to start new collaborations, and I believe win-win-win partnerships are the key to successful research," Magalhaes said. " I encourage everyone to contact me with any questions or ideas. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues and industry partners."

Magalhaes can be reached at aedison@iastate.edu or 515-708-5157.



NCGA, Joined by Other Ag Groups, Warns Commerce on Herbicide Tariffs

The National Corn Growers Association, joined by five other commodity groups, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo asking her to consider the impacts on farmers as she reviews a petition by the agricultural chemical company Corteva that would place duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D.

“Restricting imports of 2,4-D will have wide-ranging consequences for farmers,” the letter said. “American farmers cannot solely rely on Corteva, which is the only domestic supplier of 2,4-D, because there is not enough supply to meet demand.”

The letter also said that, if granted, the petition would cause availability shortages and hamper the ability of growers to be successful.

“Restricting the availability of 2,4-D will be very harmful at a time when farmers are grappling with rising input costs and low commodity prices,” the letter said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects total farm production cash expenses for 2024 at a record-high level. Concurrently, crop values are declining. USDA predicts total cash receipts in nominal value for crops in 2024 will be 11.7% lower than in 2022.

“Farmers are unable to incur additional costs in what is already a period of tight margins,” the letter said. “This case has the potential to forcibly cause farmers to cut budgets, which will impact their ability to have successful yields and will further disrupt the economic health of local economies.”

Other groups signing the letter were the American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers and U.S. Durum Growers Association. The Department of Commerce is expected to issue the preliminary duty rates in September.



Feedlot Returns
Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

Each month an updated assessment of recent feedlot returns is posted to K-State’s AgManager.info website (https://www.agmanager.info/livestock-meat/cattle-finishing-historical-and-projected-returns). This series reflects a cash situation, presumes no ongoing hedging of feed or cattle price movement, and is intended to provide a barometer of profitability trends rather than precise estimates for any given feedlot situation. The latest assessment was made on July 10th and includes projected returns for cattle to be sold through March 2025.

Steers sold in June are estimated to have experienced positive net returns of $51.12/head. This reverses a six-month trend of losses for the modeled feedlot situation. Several factors underlie the improved returns in June. Steers sold in June are modeled to have $111/cwt cost of gain which is well below the $122 average for the first five months of 2024. Similarly, a June fed cattle sales price of $185/cwt being above the $182 average for the first months of 2024 further aided in turning June net returns positive.

Looking forward, July and August project to be positive return months before net returns become negative for the September ‘24 – March ‘25 period. The projected switch to negative returns primarily reflects increased feeder cattle, placement prices negating comparatively small increases in outgoing, fed cattle sales prices. While each operation certainly has unique considerations to make in using this barometer of profit trends, the broader dynamics in both feed and cattle markets will remain worth watching in coming months as discussions around relative cattle supplies and status of beef demand strength evolve.



Singers Encouraged to Enter Annual NCBA National Anthem Contest

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is looking for the next singing sensation to open CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, February 4-6. The 12th annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, sponsored by Norbrook®, is accepting entries through October 15 at convention.ncba.org.

The contest winner will perform the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the convention’s Opening General Session and will receive round trip airfare to San Antonio, Texas, a hotel room for three nights, complimentary convention registration, plus a pair of boots, jeans and a shirt from Roper or Stetson.

Any member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, American National CattleWomen, Cattlemen’s Beef Board, or family member is eligible to participate in the contest. Previous NCBA National Anthem Contest winners are not eligible. The top four finalists will be chosen by October 21, and videos will be posted to the convention website. Voting will be open to the public from November 1 to November 15 (one vote per person per day), and the winner will be announced November 18.

CattleCon 2025 registration opens on August 19, and a variety of ticket options will be available. For more information and to enter the National Anthem Contest, visit convention.ncba.org.