Released: October 11, 2018

October 1 Crop Production Forecast

Corn production in Tennessee is forecast at 119 million bushels, down 6 percent from the September forecast and down 2 percent from the  previous crop. Yield was estimated at 174 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month and up 3 bushels from the 2017 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 685,000 acres, down 25,000 acres from 2017. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 14.8 billion bushels, down slightly from the September forecast and up 1 percent from 2017. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 180.7 bushels per acre, down 0.6 bushels from last month and up 4.1 bushels from 2017. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, down slightly from the September forecast and down 1 percent from 2017. Continue reading at OctCrop18_TN.

FARMERS RETURN TO FIELDS

Unseasonably warm temperatures and drier conditions allowed farmers to return to their fields. Corn, cotton, and soybean harvest all made excellent harvest, but some producers were worried that the recent heavy rains had adversely affected their yields. The high temperatures stressed livestock. There were 5.5 days suitable for field work, compared to 1.3 last week. Topsoil moisture rated 4 percent short, 79 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture rated 6 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Continue reading at TN_10_09_18. The U.S. Crop Progress report can be read at CropProg-10-09-2018.

Corn, soybeans, and wheat were up; cotton was down for the week.

A good bounce back week for grain and oilseed futures prices after last week’s bearish USDA stocks report. The rally this week was partially driven by a new trade deal (USMCA formally NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico as well as harvest weather concerns across the Midwest. As harvest progresses it remains unlikely that a significant rally in soybean or corn cash  prices occurs – due primarily to the size of this year’s crop – without movement in a trade deal with China, which does not appear to
be forthcoming. As such, producers should consider storage or delayed pricing alternatives that can extend the marketing interval.Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.

In this week’s podcast we hear from Richard Buntin and Ryan Blair with UT Extension. With harvest resuming after last week’s rain event, they discuss field conditions and best management practices for weathered crops. Click to listen. Continue reading →

INCESSANT RAINS BRING FIELD ACTIVITIES TO NEAR HALT

Lots of ill-timed rainfall this last week of September has delayed crop harvest and even drowned a few soybean fields. Before the rainfall yields were expected to be above average; now, we’ll just have to see. Everything else is as expected for September in TN. Matthew Deist, Marion County

There were 1.3 days suitable for field work, compared to 5.4 last week. Topsoil moisture rated 1 percent short, 46 percent adequate,  and 53 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture rated 2 percent short, 59 percent adequate, and 39 percent surplus. Continue reading at TN_10_01_18.  The U.S. Crop Progress report can be read at CropProg-10-01-2018.

Corn, soybeans, cotton, and wheat were down for the week.

On Friday, the USDA released the much anticipated quarterly Grain Stocks report. The September report provides estimates of corn and soybean stocks at the end of the most recent marketing year (2017/18) and an estimate of wheat stocks as of September 1. The USDA report is available online at USDA Grain Stocks Report.

As of September 1, corn stocks were estimated at 2.14 billion bushels, down 153 million (7%) from last year and 138 million greater than the 2.002 billion bushels estimated in the September WASDE; soybean stocks were estimated at 438 million bushels, up 136 million (45%) from last year and 43 million greater than the 395 million bushels estimated in the September WASDE; and wheat stocks were estimated at 2.379 billion bushels, up 113 million (5%) from last year. Overall, the report was decidedly bearish with the estimates at or exceeding the upper end of the pre-report range. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.

The past six days of rain found the vast majority of our Upper-MidSouth cotton crop defoliated and open.  Unfortunately, these conditions supported emergence of cottonseed while still within the boll- commonly referred to as sprouting.  In this blog, I briefly cover best management practices to protect the existing fiber quality.   Continue reading →