CORN Yields, Harvest, Drought of 2012

How are corn yields looking now that we are heading into harvest?

Here is one picture of the drought of 2012:

Ears of corn from various fields around Manhattan, Illinois

The ears are much smaller than last year and are not fully pollinated.  My dad had previously hoped for 80 bushels per acre and now says he's hoping to get at least 65 bushels per acre.  My dad usually underestimates a little so as to be pleasantly surprised so I would say we'll most likely get about 75 bushels per acre.  Since corn planting was completed early this year, we are planning to start corn harvest mid-September.

High Commodity Prices influence farmer's decision to plant more corn acres

On the eve of the USDA's March 31, 2011 Farm Acreage and Stock Report, one Will County farmer was increasing his corn acreage by plowing up an alfalfa field.  The farmer said high corn prices influenced the decision to plow up the hay field early.   The alfalfa field could have produced a good crop of hay, but the farmer decided to take advantage of high corn prices by increasing his corn acreage.  Also influencing his decision was the fact that he already had enough hay fields to meet his hay customers' demand.

Commodities such as wheat, corn, and soybeans have increased steadily since the 2010 harvest.

An alfalfa field gets plowed under in order to make room for more corn acres in response to high prices for corn

High commodity prices influenced this Will County farmer to plow up an alfalfa field earlier than originally planned in order to increase corn acres on his farm