This year’s harvest is starting to wind down, the weekly weather and crop conditions survey released October 25 shows 86% of Iowa corn acres have been harvested, 35 days ahead of last year and 25 days ahead of the 5-year average. Soybean acres harvested are 97% complete, 24 days ahead of last year and 19 days ahead of the 5-year average. (Source: Wallaces Farmer)

South Central Iowa

Harvest is winding up across South Central Iowa, so many producers are doing fall tillage, tiling and fertilizing. Travis Slusher says gale-force winds this week will put corn that is still in the field under an extreme stand-ability test.  Corn yields have been variable to say the least, but there have been some very good performances.  Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids that did well in this area include LH 5645 3000GT, LH 6003 3000GT, LH 6032 RR, LH 6056 VT3, LH 6394 3000GT and LH 6598 VT3.  Some of the standout soybean varieties in this area are L2735R2V, L2984R2, L3186R2, L3268R2 and L2987L. 

Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer reports harvest is almost complete in his territory. Fall fertilizer and tillage is underway with fall anhydrous application set for the end of this week. Soybeans had a very good year, even with a strong presence of SDS in the area. Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L2182R2 and L2440R2 performed very well against the competition with a 6 to 10-bushel advantage.  New products in our soybean lineup, along with proven performance of the Roundup Ready brands, offers some great yield opportunities on soybean acres in 2011. Kevin’s customers saw strong performances from Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5228 VT3, LH 5376 VT3 and LH 5494 3000GT; LH 5896 VT3 and LH 5877 VT3 PRO rounded out the season with great stalk strength and grain quality in the 108-day maturity.  There was a big improvement in dry down and test weight from the 2010 as compared to 2009 crop.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie reports most growers in his territory have finished their 2010 harvest of corn and beans. With higher yields, this year many bins are full so growers have had to take the remaining crop to the local elevator or to the river. It’s an inconvenience, but it’s not a bad problem to have, especially considering market price has been above average this fall. Corn yields this year were higher than in the past years.  Steve was amazed by yields on hybrids with the Roundup Ready® trait next to the stacked hybrids. One hybrid that did particularly well in Wisconsin is Latham® LH 4999 RR, which has been pulling yields above 200 bu/A in many locations across the state. Latham LH 4999 RR is an amazing refuge corn choice for growers here. With wet, windy weather in the forecast this week, it’s a great time to finish crop planning and finalizing your 2011 seed purchases.

West Central Iowa

The northern region of Bart Peterson’s territory is done combing corn and soybeans.  Field work is mostly done there, as well.  Anhydrous is being applied.  The western half of Bart’s territory has finished soybean harvest and 10 to 15% of the corn has yet to be combined. 

Northwest Iowa

Big yields require replacement of fertilizer to ensure big yield opportunity for next year, says Tom Larson.  Potash is the most over looked product when going from corn to soybeans.  Consult with your fertilizer specialist about soybeans.

Northern Missouri

Rick Foster reports harvest is still moving along and was slowed a little this weekend with 1 inch of rain.

I’ve always enjoyed harvest and its promise of yield results, but this year has been especially exciting.  More customers than ever have called from the field to share personal stories about incredible product performance.

A customer in northeast Iowa called and thanked his Latham representative for adding $200,000 to his bottom line recently because Latham® LH 5426 VT3 PRO produced 30 bu/A more than the competition. A customer in South Central Iowa reported yields of 70 to 100 bu/A with Latham® L2984R2, and I personally saw this same soybean brand average 72 bu/A across 142 acres near Adel, Iowa.

Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans with Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® technology are truly having a break-through year. We’re seeing more customers than ever harvest soybeans in the 70s and 80s – numbers that are beating the competition because our independence allows us to scan the globe for the world’s best genetics.

For a sneak peek at yield results, click here. To see a state-by-state yield report, click on the states below:

Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota
South Dakota
Wisconsin

More yield results will be posted as they become available, so be sure to check our Website again soon for more exciting news about Latham® performance.

The 2010 harvest will be complete at least one month sooner for the farmers with whom I’ve had the pleasure of talking to as their combining their fields.  (A great, big thank you to those Latham® customers who so graciously let me go a few rounds with them.  It was great fun!)  Everyone I rode with mentioned they will have finished combining all of their crops this year before they even started on corn last year.  What a difference a year makes!

Certainly, the early harvest has people talking.  Of course, farmers are talking about the weather – and the long stretch of warm, dry, sunny days we’ve been blessed with.  In addition, they’re talking about the great yields they’re getting with Latham® products.  Below is a summary of harvest progress and results for several regions throughout our six-state marketing territory.

Wisconsin

If the weather holds the rest of this week, most growers in Steve Bailie’s area will either be done with harvest or their bins will be full. With the amazing corn and bean crop this year, many southwest Wisconsin farmers have filled their bins and are also sending some new crop to a local grain elevator.  In addition to the amazing yields, the corn and bean high market prices also have farmers smiling. Many farmers will realize more income that they originally expected.

One hybrid that has been doing particularly well in Steve’s territory is Latham LH 5536 VT3.  Last week Steve saw this hybrid go over 240 bushels per acre across a 150-acre field. The overall field average was 219 bushel, which is pretty amazing considering this farm has a lower fertility factor than desired for that kind of yield. Many farmers in the southwest part of Steve’s territory also have been very pleased with their bean yields. It hasn’t been uncommon to hear reports of 80-bushel beans. The overall average in this area will be 65 to 68 bu/A, up from 58 to 60 bu/A in recent years.

That being said, Steve recommends growers consider soil sampling this fall for a few reasons: 

1. Record yields in some areas probably took record amounts of fertility from the soil. 
2. It’s also a good time to study areas where improvements can be made.
3. Finish your cropping plans for the 2011 growing season. 

Northeast Iowa

Nick Benson says soybean harvest is 99% complete in his area.  Now that all of the beans have been combined, it’s very apparent farmers here had the best yields in recent years.  Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans with the Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield^TM technology lived up to their expectations.  Yesterday, Nick took a call from a happy customer who reported that his Latham L2440s beat S21-N6s by 10 bushel! Most growers will finish harvesting corn by the week’s end, and corn yields have been variable.  Some of the top performers in Nick’s area are LH 5425 VT3 and LH 5376 VT3.  Hybrids to keep an eye on in 2011 are LH 4844 3000GT, LH 4999 VT3 PRO, LH 5266 3000GT, LH 5645 3000GT and last, but certainly not least, LH 5877 VT3 PRO.

West Central Iowa

More soil has been turning black in North Central Iowa each day.  Bart Peterson says soybean harvest is complete and corn is 99% done; West Central Iowa is done with soybeans and 65% done with corn. Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans with Genuity® Roundup Ready to Yield^TM technology continue to be the talk here with L2440R2 and L2084R2 topping most plots.  Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids are also performing strong.  The following hybrids have topped plots throughout West Central Iowa: LH 5877 VT3 Pro, LH 5896 VT3 and LH 6057 SS.

Northwest Iowa

Harvest is coming to an end this week in Tom Larson’s area.  There were a lot of exciting yields recorded, including LH 5376VT3 that yielded 274 bushels per acre.  Another great performer has been LH 5228VT3.  Latham soybean brands with Genuity® Roundup Ready to Yield^TM technology are the yield kings here, with several farmers boasting 80-bushel yields from L2440R2. Many of Latham’s tried and true R1 soybeans are still performing strong here including: L2085R, L2285R, L2560R and L2635R. Yield data will be posted soon on www.lathamseeds.com.

North Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer reports harvest proceeded at break-neck pace in his area this week.  Soybeans are done, and 85% of the corn has been harvested.  Corn yields have been uneven, depending on rainfall and lack/loss of nitrogen, but it’s still a good corn crop. With soybean harvest complete, many farmers are turning their attention to the next crop year. A very strong performance from RR2Y’s and the other products in Latham’s line-up this season is a great start to your cropping plan.  Placement of products on field-by-field basis according to soil type and field history is the key to higher yields, year after year.

South Dakota

South Dakota is ahead of the five-year average with only 5% of the soybeans and about 60% of the corn acres left to be harvested.  Bill Eichacker says yields this year will be another one for the record books in many areas.  Corn moisture and test weight are more appealing than last year as most of the corn is 57 pounds or higher and moisture is in the teens. 

Northern Missouri

All of the rainfall received in Missouri throughout the summer really took a toll on yield this year.

Considering the conditions, Rick Foster says harvest is going quite well with 80-bushel corn.  Soybean yields have been ranging from 40 to 45 bushels per acre.

South Central Iowa

Some producers in Travis Slusher’s area have finished with harvest and now are focused on tillage, tiling and fall fertilizer application.  Soybean harvest is complete and farmers are finishing up corn harvest.  For the most part, corn yields have been variable depending upon soil types and how much water pressure the crop was under.  Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH5645 3000GT, stood up very well – compared to competitors and other hybrids – in the low, heavy soils where there was an extreme amount of pressure due to wet soils.

During a combine ride this afternoon in Greene County, one Latham® customer told me that he’ll be 100 percent done with harvest by October 19 — which is the date that he began harvesting corn last fall.  What a difference a year makes! Growers throughout Latham’s six-state marketing area are nearing the completion of harvest thanks to clear skies, dry soils and low moistures. While this beautiful fall weather has created some talk in the countryside, the preferred topic of conversation has been how pleasantly surprised they’ve been by the yields.  A few yields worth talking about are highlighted below.

Northeast Iowa
Soybean harvest is wrapping up, and Nick Benson says it’s been so much fun to watch Latham® L2440R2 come out of the field. This soybean brand has been dominating with yields of 80 bushel per acres (bu/A) or more being reported in parts of a field! It also has very nice SDS tolerance. For most growers who planted it in this area, it’s the best soybean yield they have ever taken off their farms. We’re also getting solid yield information on Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids. LH 5425 VT3 has been a very consistent performer for corn-on-corn situations. Another solid performer has been LH 5494 3000GT. Where LH 5376 had ample moisture, it’s been a top yielder on farms. Overall, corn yields continue to be variable with yields averaging in the 170 to 190 bu/A range.

South Central Iowa
Corn harvest is in full swing as the last of the soybeans are out of the fields across most of South Central Iowa. Travis Slusher received a light, gentle shower at his farm on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough to slow down harvest. Soybean yields across the central part of his region have been in the mid- to upper 60s with some farms hitting the low 70s as whole-field averages. Travis has seen impressive results from L2984R2, L3186R2 and L3268R2. Corn harvest is showing a very mixed bag of results due to conditions throughout the growing season. Corn yields for farm averages are ranging anywhere from 100 bushels per acre (bu/A) to the mid- 170s depending upon the soil type, soil moisture and general health of the plant. Travis has seen Latham® LH 6056 VT3 and the LH 5777 SS yield in the 190-bushel range.

North Central Iowa
Kevin Meyer reports another great weather week for harvest conditions. Combines continue on corn with good yields and great dry down. Latham® LH 5376 VT3 continues to shine in his area along with strong performances from LH 5896 VT3 and LH 5877 VT3 PRO. Corn is close to half done here and will be the priority this week. Soybeans had a GREAT year in this area. With soybean harvest complete, many producers have commented that this year’s crop is the best they can remember. The list of success stories this fall is very long, but the biggest story is the consistency and performance of Latham® soybeans with the Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yields™ technology.

Northwest Iowa
Latham® products continue to perform as harvest continues. Latham’s LH5228 VT3 and LH 5376 VT3 have consistently set the bar on yield, outperforming competitors by huge margins. Doyle Wissink reported a yield of 274 bushel per acre with LH 5376 VT3. Soybean harvest is wrapping up. The combination of strong RR1 technology and our new RR2 soybeans makes a potent one-two punch. Latham® L2085R has been the standard for yield in northern Iowa and L2440R2 is quickly getting a reputation as the new yield king. As one producer stated, “L2440R2 is like nothing I have seen before!”

Wisconsin
Many growers are finishing up bean harvest in Steve Bailie’s territory. With the weather better than usual, they’ve been able to keep the combines rolling later into the evening. The moisture content has been a little drier than we may want with 9% moisture being reported in some soybeans. Soybean yields have been reaching up to 80 bushels per acre, and Latham’s L2440R2 has impressed many growers this year. Corn is producing amazing yields, as well. Many growers have averaged well over 200 bushels this year.

South Dakota
Bill Eichacker says soybean harvest should wrap up this week for most farmers as 85% of the crop harvested. Latham’s L2440R2 is quite impressive again this year. During one combine ride Bill made, the RR2Y had an eight bushel advantage over a RR1 brand. Other plots show L2440R2 at the top or a close second. Corn harvest will be in full force next week as moisture content is considerably lower than last year. It’s common to see fall tillage following the combine.

East Central Iowa
Soybean harvest will almost be complete by the week’s end in Brad Beatty’s territory. Soybean yields have been a pleasant surprise with many customers reporting 55- to 60- bushel beans unless they had severe cases of Sudden Death Syndrome. Some producers have talked about soybeans popping out of the pod, which can happen in years like this when the moisture of the soybeans are so low and humidity levels in the air also low. Corn harvest is also moving at a rapid pace. Corn has been coming out of the field as low as 13% but yields have been very inconsistent. On average, most yields have been around 180 bushel per acre on good ground and 140 bu/A on the poorer soils. This looks to be a great year to get some fall tillage done, and getting some fall fertilizer spread. Fertilizer prices are following the grain markets, so they’re quickly rising.

This week marks National Farm Safety week, and with harvest well underway, we wanted to remind everyone to stay safe this fall. Farming ranks behind mining as the second-highest industry incurring disabling and fatal accidents annually, and no one knows better than a farmer just how dangerous the job can be. The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) provides educational brochures offering safety tips for everything from how to keep a child safe on the farm, to safe use of harvesting equipment. Click the link below for their full list of safety brochures. http://www.necasag.org/safety_brochures.php

In addition to reminding farmers to stay safe, we encourage those driving to allow extra space and time for slow moving farm equipment on the roadways. We’d also like to remind motorists to be extra careful when passing farm equipment on roadways and bridges.

Thank you, farmers, for all that you do every day! Today’s American farmer feeds 155 people worldwide, and Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is proud to help American farmers feed and fuel the world.  We wish  everyone a safe and plentiful harvest!

Northeast Iowa

Corn harvest is just getting underway in Nick Benson’s territory.  There have been good drying conditions, and corn is coming out of the field with 17 to 23 percent moisture.  Yields are great.  One of his customers, who planted Latham® Hi LH 5426 VT3 PRO, saw yields of 240 to 280 b/A on a field that usually goes 200 to 220 b/A.  Yields are extremely variable this year and, Nick says, they appear to be completely rain dependent. In areas that received too much water during the growing season, yield dropped 20%, but yields are 10 to 20% higher in areas that received just the right amount of rain. Some areas experienced trouble with stalk rot due to this excess moisture. Below is a short video where Nick shares how to test for stalk rot.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29if4sSx_E[/youtube]

Soybean yields are phenomenal this year, Nick said, and it helps that SDS hasn’t been much of a problem here.  Yesterday Nick walked a field of Latham® soybeans and, on the first plant that he randomly pulled, he counted 165 pods.  Many of his customers are seeing high 60s and 70s as field averages.  One customer called late last night when his yield monitor hit 80 b/A, and the whole field average was 68 b/A.   

Wisconsin

Many combines started hitting harvest hard this week in Wisconsin, says Steve Bailie. Growers are seeing 200-bushel yields in corn and 55-bushel averages in beans.  One of Steve’s customers was extremely pleased that Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5228 VT3 averaged 180 b/A on a marginal ground. Latham® products were planted for the first time on several Wisconsin farms, so many customers are looking forward to seeing what yields will come their way.  Steve has been working closely with his customers to check stalks and inform them which fields they should start combining. He says this service seems to be of great value to them. 

Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer says corn harvest has picked up throughout the region over the past seven days.  Farmers starting with corn had great weather for an early harvest with moistures in the teens and yields surprisingly a little better than last year. There are a few stalk quality issues in the area, but farmers are getting in early to minimize crop loss. Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5033 3000GT and LH 5228 VT3 are performing strong in the early 100-day maturities. Soybean harvest progressed the latter part of the week, and again, yields are somewhat surprising.  With widespread SDS in the area, yields of high 50s to low 60s b/A are being reported. Early Group 2 maturities are currently being harvested, with Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L2085R and L2182R2 leading the pack.

East Central Iowa

Harvest is underway East Central Iowa with corn yields ranging from 120 to 190 bushels per acre.  Much of the corn has poor stalk quality and must be harvested in a timely fashion.  Brad Beatty reports that Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5777 SS was checked on Friday with a yield of 177 b/A, 18.5% moisture and a 58.5 pound test weight in a corn-on-corn situation. Very few soybeans have been harvested, and most beans in this area are about a week away from harvest. 

South Central Iowa

Travis Slusher’s farm received more than three inches of rain from Saturday through Tuesday night.  Areas south of him have received well over five inches.  Needless to say, harvest has come to a standstill here.  What corn was harvested last week had Latham® HI-Tech Hybrids LH5777 SS yielding well at 18% moisture with LH5896 VT3 and LH6068 VT3 showing great yields and moisture in the low 20s for the growing conditions that they had to endure this season.  Soybean harvest has been slow and spotty as the majority of the beans are not ready to cut.  Yields have been from the mid-40 bushel range in areas with heavy SDS pressure to mid 60s in areas that didn’t experience heavy SDS pressure.  Travis wishes everyone a safe and productive harvest season.  Be safe out there!

Northwest and North Central Iowa

Harvest is slowly underway in the northernmost part of the state.   Tom Larson says it’s too early to make concrete statements on yields, but it appears that soybeans are averaging 50 to 60 bushels per acre in the better fields and corn is making 180 to 200 bushels per acre.  With all of the precipitation so far this week and more in the forecast, Tom isn’t expecting much harvest activity this week.

South Dakota

Corn in South Dakota is estimated at 45% mature as compared to 10% last year.  The soybean crop is also ahead of last year with 75% of the leaves dropped. Unfortunately, rainfall is slowing down harvest.  Another two inches of rain is expected during the next two days. A few acres of high-moisture corn have been harvested.  Bill has also heard reports of corn moisture in the teens, so these fields are ready for harvest as soon as the weather cooperates. 

Yield variability within the field is a big challenge due to drowned out spots, nitrogen loss and other problems from excessive rain during the 2010 growing season.  Farmers should notify their crop insurance agents of low yields within 72 hours of initial discovery, according to a recent article in Wallaces Farmer.

“Keep a ledger sheet right there with you in the field,” says Steve Johnson, Iowa State University Extension farm management specialist.  “Write down what bushels are coming from which field and which truck or wagon.  If you take the corn or beans to town, make sure you have a name on a scale ticket. That’s important should you be audited for Actual Production History purposes.”
 
Also, get your grain bins measured. Johnson says you shouldn’t put new crop on top of old crop grain in case you have a claim.

For the complete article, click here: http://farmprogress.com/story.aspx/nl13_3nl/report/low/yields/to/insurance/agent/promptly/at/harvest/9/42117

Northeast Iowa

Harvest has started in Nick Benson’s territory.  Corn continues to dry down very nicely.  But by the end of the week, he envisions that 25% of growers will have some corn in the bin.  Beans are starting to drop leaves.  Despite some aborted pod fill due to a dry stretch in August, Nick is still expecting high soybean yields throughout northeast Iowa.

Stalk rot is still a concern and Nick recommends that growers check their fields and make any fields showing signs of stalk rot a priority to harvest.

What is Stalk Rot?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_c_H2u8yK4[/youtube]

New hybrid lines that should not have any issues with stalk strength include Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5376 VT3, LH 5426 VT3 PRO and LH 5645 3000GT, which from what Nick has seen, has stalks like fence posts.

Silage harvest is about 90% complete, and we’ve had some great silage results from LH 5494 3000GT.  As one of Nick’s customers said, “It’s impressive when the ears are 2 feet above your head and you can still bend the tassel to touch the ground without having the stalk lodge.”

Click on image for full-size picture.

It’s shaping up to be a great harvest.  Be safe out there and enjoy the fall!

Central Iowa

Corn harvest is underway in central Iowa. Kevin Meyer says producers have taken advantage of some great weather to try out the combines and have been pleasantly surprised to find moisture in the lower 20% and even some teens. Preliminary yields show yields a little better than a year ago, although stalk quality remains a concern on some hybrids in the area. A band of hail Labor Day night in southwest Butler County left some damage on soybean acres; 10-20% loss of soybeans being knocked out of the pods is common in this area.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie reports that a few Wisconsin growers have started harvesting corn. On Sunday, Sept. 13, a field of LH 5228 VT3 has been harvested and ran 208 dry bushels. Many growers are going to start harvest this week for high-moisture grain. Stalk rot has started to become a concern, so it’s important to walk the fields and see what fields need to be harvested first this fall. Beans are really dropping leaves.  Latham® Hi‑Tech Soybeans L2085R looks good; one Latham dealer on Tuesday harvested 82 bushels per acre with 13% moisture.

Northwest Iowa

Early harvest reports indicate what was suspected: corn yields are a little less than previously expected and soybean yields are a little higher than expected.  Tom Larson reports soybeans that had reached maturity were still pretty tough to combine due to the healthy stems, but the forecasted rain should help even out the fields once it dries up.  Latham’s RoundUp® Ready 2 Yield^TM Soybeans still look like the bean to beat.  Their late season plant health and yield ability put them at the top of the list, and with a very attractive price, they should be part of every farmer’s portfolio for 2011.  Corn will have some surprises, as well.  Tom has seen some fantastic hybrids with VT3 and Genuity® SmartStax^TM plus some customers are equally excited with their LibertyLink hybrids.

East Central Iowa

Harvest is under way in East Central Iowa.  Brad Beatty advises customers to start combining corn even though moistures may be around 20%. Because the general stalk quality is poor this year, heavy winds could blow over much of this year’s crop. Soybeans are a week or so away from harvest. Some growers are finishing their final cutting of hay; it’s a good time to spray pasture land to kill many hard to kill weeds. If the herbicide doesn’t kill the weeds, they will most likely be too weak to make it through the winter. There is also very little chance of off-target injury from spray drift this time of year.

South Central Iowa

Travis Slusher’s area on Monday received rainfall, ranging anywhere from ½ to just over an inch of rain.  Not much harvest activity is underway in his territory other than seed corn and some shelled field corn.  Many producers are setting up machines and taking out some early corn.  Moisture is ranging between 17% and the mid 20s.  There have been beans harvested in the northern part of South Central Iowa with yields ranging from the mid-40s to 50s, depending upon the amount of SDS.

South Dakota

Bill Eichacker says 85% of the corn is beyond the R5 stage with 25% in the R6 stage, which is considerably ahead of last year’s crop.  Silage is also ahead of last year with 60% harvested.  There will be a lot of corn taken out before the soybeans this season.  About 50% of the soybeans have leaves dropped, which is normal for this time of year.  Bill’s farm received over an inch of precipitation Tuesday night, and his area is 7 inches above normal rainfall amounts.

Northern Missouri

Rick Foster reports in Missouri harvest is still going slow. Beans are still filling and corn is being harvested at about 20% moisture.

Leaving corn in the field until its moisture levels are below 20% could actually cost you more than drying grain. Experts say that growers must weigh the risk of severe lodging and resulting yield losses when they allow corn to dry too long in the field.

The optimum harvest moisture for corn is about 23-25%.  Kernels shell easily and stalks generally stand better at this moisture level.  With a timely and efficient combining, normal harvest loss is about 1 or 2%.  Harvest losses increase by 2 to 8% above the normal level if corn dries down too much in the field.  Most harvest losses are caused by kernel shattering or corn never getting into the combine. As stalk lodging and ear dropping increases, the more corn dries down in the field.

Balance is needed between field dry down and harvest loss.  These spreadsheets show the importance of starting harvest early.

Click on the chart to view full-size image.

Source: Monsanto Agronomic Spotlight