Slow Drying Conditions, Drought Set the Stage for Corn Mold

Paw Paw, November 13, 2009:  This summer's drought may have helped to set the stage for molds that we are seeing in area corn fields this fall.  Many type of molds are increased in incidence following dry conditions during pollination, especially when the drought is followed by wet conditions later in the growing season.  So far, the molds seem to be on the surface of the kernels.  This may mean that there is less chance for toxins from the mold to affect grain quality.  Testing at grain terminals has revealed that much of the corn delivered has been below the 3 ppm level of toxins.  If you have some mold in your fields, there are some things you may want to consider in handling procedures that may help to improve storability of the grain.  Producers should strive to keep kernels as free from damage as possible.  At the combine level, this means that cylinders and rotors should be adjusted for clearance to allow for shelling, but to limit cracking.  Cylinder or rotor speed should be minimized to limit grain cracking while allowing for complete shelling.  Fan speed should be increased to remove cracked or lightweight kernels.  At the dryer, keep the temperatures low enough to avoid stress cracking the seed coats.  Patience will be a virtue this season with higher moisture levels in the field.  Be prepared to dry corn down to a lower moisture percentage this year.  Fines that come out of the dryer can also tend to contaminate bins, so either clean with a grain cleaner or be prepared to core the bins. 

Michiana Crop Conference Set for December 4th, 2009 at the Bluegate in Shipshewana 

Paw Paw, November 17, 2009: The Michiana Crops Conference is slated for Friday, December 4th, 2009 at the Blue Gate Restaurant, Shipshewana Indiana from 9:00 - 4:15 pm.  Don't miss this opportunity to check out Purdue and MSU Specialists talking about marketing, corn and soybean research and a wrapup of the tumultuous 2009 cropping season.  Featured speakers include, Purdue's Corn Agronomist Dr. Bob Nielsen, Nutrient Specialist Dr. Brad Joern, Pathologist Dr. Kiersten Wise, and Economist Chris Hurt.  Dr. Dale Mutch will present information on cover crop research as well.  Registration for the Conference is $35 per person before November 30th, $40 per person after November 30th.  Lunch is provided family style at the world famous Blue Gate Restaurant.  Don't miss this chance to learn about your business from the specialist to our south.  It is a great opportunity to bring along the spouse to do some pre-Christmas shopping while you are at the meeting.  Hope to see you there.

USDA ACRE Program Potential for Payments Becomes a Little Clearer Following the August 12^th Crop Report, Deadline for Signup is Friday, August 14th

Paw Paw, August 13, 2009:  The decision to signup for the USDA ACRE program over the DCP/Counter-cyclical Program has been a hard one for most producers in Michigan and around the nation to make.  The requirements and details for signing up for the program have created significant confusion in the Ag Community.  However, there appears to be a good chance that the ACRE program may be the right option for many Michigan Growers in 2009.  MSU Commodity Marketing Specialist Dr. Jim Hilker and members of the MSU Extension Farm Management Team have been pulling together information about the details and the potential payoffs of selecting the ACRE Option.  The following link provides an overview of the potential payments for the ACRE program for 2009 based on Michigan’s projected yields and current market year average price projections.

https://www.msu.edu/~betz/FarmBill2008/Acre%20Implications%20Final1.pdf

For more information on the web, you can visit Roger Betz, MSUE S.W. District Farm Management Educator’s website at:

http://www.msu.edu/~betz/

Feel free to contact me at (269) 535-0442 if you have questions.

Wheat Harvest Underway - Yield Potential Overall Looks Good

Paw Paw, July 12, 2009:  The drier weather has allowed the area wheat fields to dry down to allow for harvest to begin.  While it is a little early to proclaim great yields, overall the crop looks pretty good.   Wheat generally does a little better with cooler and more moist conditions, weather that we certainly have seen more of this spring than we have been used to in recent years.   We have seen some sporadic incidence of Fusarium Head Blight (head scab) in fields where rainfall occurred during the period when wheat flowered.  Since rainfall at that time was extreemly variable from thundershower activity, incidence and severity of the disease is inconsistent.