Southwest Iowa Crop Conditions

Conditions continue to improve in our southwestern territory. Weather has been ideal for humans and crops alike,
but we are running short on growing degree units (GDU’s, or heat units). Today’s calculations shows we’re are
about 140 GDU’s behind normal and about 190 behind last year. Corn looks great with pollination finishing up, but
will be delayed in achieving maturity and dry-down if temps stay on the cool side. Ideal corn weather accumulates
about 25 GDU’s per day. Lately we’ve been accumulating 15-20 GDU’s. The month of July will go down as the 5th
coolest in 143 years of record-keeping in Iowa, after experiencing the 3rd wettest June in Iowa history. The stage is
set for some great corn yields in well-drained fields. Even very distressed fields from excessive rains have
recovered better than expected, although those still won’t make good yields. We’re even running a bit cooler than
2009, which was the last huge crop across this region. Dry-down was very slow that year, compounded by cold,
wet weather the entire month of October. Therefore, booking propane for corn drying is becoming a
consideration.Soybeans have taken off with the better weather in July. Crop height is average and color is much
improved. Pod development is underway. Crop dusters have kept busy the past two weeks applying fungicides and
insecticides. So far, soybean aphid infestation has been light. Aphids move from northeast to southwest so this is
typically our last territory to be infested. August weather makes or breaks bean yields.

Crop prices continue to struggle under the expectations of large crops. We are just above long-term lows right
now. End users are enjoying great profits (after bleeding major red ink with high corn prices) so demand is
expected to continue strengthening. World-wide demand requires us to grow more bushels each year. Remember
the old adage – the best cure for low (or high) prices is low (or high) prices. Or – this too shall pass! DR