Southwest Iowa Crop Conditions

The June 28th USDA planting and stocks report was predictable – a bus of the market for a few days. Their corn planted acres were unchanged from the March intentions and being acres were higher. Then the long July 4th weekend allowed traders to assess crop conditions and progress a little farther out from Chicago. Starting Monday July 8th, the market had regained a good portion of what was lost. With much of the corn belt having received very little rain for the past 30 days, and especially the past week, and not much in the forecast, concern is mounting about dry weather affecting crops with compromised root masses and extremely hard soils. The soonest I expect to see corn tassels in after July 20th and very few before July 25th. Most will tassel and pollinate from July 25th to August 15th. At the same time, beans will be studying and filling pods. August weather will be more crucial than normal for the outcome of this crop. While our southwestern territory is one of the better ones of the corn belt, much of our trade territory is an uphill race.