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September 2020

Harvest Scouting Priorities

With harvest starting on some early maturing varieties, soybean yields are on a lot of growers’ minds. This year Illinois experienced a large feeding frenzy by Bean Leaf Beetle in many areas that called for late application of insecticide, but what else could explain loss in yield? Apart from June planted beans, little can be done at this point to help retain yield, but there are a few things to scout for in order to help explain some problem areas that you might encounter this fall or possibly next year. Insects & diseases Final stand counts Stressed areas Soybean [...]

By |September 28, 2020|

When Should I Harvest My Soybeans?

Four years ago, I entered a field in the Illinois Soybean Association 100-Bushel Challenge. The field was an early planted full-season variety. To say they looked great was an understatement. They had a good stand, good branching, and, most impressive of all, great pod counts. Unfortunately, the year turned dry at the end and my plants wound up dropping about 30% of their pods. My full season maturity hurt me. They still looked good (not great), so I decided to enter them into the contest. I had hoped to cut them at the end of the week, but due [...]

By |September 25, 2020|

PODCAST: A Look Back at the 2020 Growing Season

Randy Niver, CCA Soy Envoy and Asgrow DEKALB Technical Agronomist, is on the podcast this month to review the 2020 soybean growing season. Listen to learn more. ILSoyAdvisor Podcasts · A Look Back at the 2020 Growing Season

By |September 24, 2020|

2020 Growing Season in Review: New Lessons Learned

I think we can all agree every growing season the last few years has been abnormal. But can you teach a seasoned farmer new soybean management practices in an abnormal year? We are about to find out! My wife, Jayne, and son, Jay, and I planted soybeans early for the first time in 2020. I have seen university studies that show early planting can help maximize yield potential. Early soybeans can get a quick canopy up that helps with weed control and moisture retention. Soybeans planted early may have a better shot at filling pods when the days are [...]

By |September 23, 2020|

Stay Safe This Harvest Season

I know you’re thinking this might be another repetitive article about basic, common sense information. But it’s that very mindset that increases the likelihood of farming accidents. Most accidents happen in the peak of the season when everyone is tired from the long days and little down time. Optimal weather conditions and daylight hours seem to be at a minimum and the time to get the year’s crop out shrinks as the year comes to a close. This issue is personal for me because I lost my grandfather in a combining accident this past December and it has forever [...]

By |September 22, 2020|

Five Challenges to Evaluate Before Soybean Harvest

With 2020 soybean harvest upon us, we are starting to see several fields turn yellow and soon the results of management practices and how a variety handled the season will be in. Yield is a weight number of how well a soybean managed itself during challenging environments and how efficiently it underwent photosynthesis. But yield is also an indication of how well we as agronomists and farmers managed a field and crop. Now is a great time to become a “student of the field” and learn as much as you can to improve management decisions for next year. Below [...]

By |September 21, 2020|

Calculate Crop Removal Nutrient Rates

With harvest almost upon us, its time to start evaluating crop nutrient removal rates in preparation for the 2021 crop. There are a lot of variables that can influence a crop nutrient recommendation and application such as market value price, application cost, soils supply, crop removal, etc. As yields improve on both corn and soybeans so does crop removal of key nutrients. It’s time to evaluate if nutrient applications are at least matching or greater than what’s being removed by the crop year. If crop removal is greater than application over time, it will eventually catch up and result [...]

By |September 19, 2020|

Illinois Soybean Producers Focus on the Future

Every few years, a healthy organization takes a close look at its direction and adjusts for the future. The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) recently did just that. The previous strategic plan guided ISA through 2020. During our annual meeting in late July, ISA approved a new mission, vision, values and strategic plan for 2021 and beyond. Given current industry challenges, the 24 soybean farmers on the ISA board put a lot of thought, discussion and effort into developing strategy for the next few years. Together, we determined that ISA should be laser-focused on soybean demand, uses and advocacy. A [...]

By |September 17, 2020|

Five Tips for 2020 Soybean Harvest

This article originally appeared on FarmWeek Now. There’s no argument that 2020 has been a memorable year, but despite challenges, the soybean crop across the state looks promising. As we approach harvest, it’s important you are prepared to finish the season strong. Here are five tips for prepping for the 2020 soybean harvest. 1. Be proactive in getting technologies set and calibrated Yield monitors: Determine if software updates are necessary, preload your fields and review how to operate. Digital services: Make sure subscriptions and software are up to date. As-applied data: Make sure variety information is accurate and other as-applied [...]

By |September 12, 2020|

Wheat-Double-Crop Soybeans Competitive with Corn

This article was originally published on the farmdoc Daily website by Gary Schnitkey, Krista Swanson and Carl Zulauf. As wheat planting season approaches, we evaluate expected returns for crop rotations that include wheat.  Given current 2021 grain bids, a combination of wheat and double-crop-soybeans is projected more profitable than either corn or stand-alone-soybeans in southern Illinois. Wheat alone is not more profitable than either corn or stand-alone soybeans. In central Illinois, stand-alone soybeans are projected more profitable than wheat-double-crop-soybeans. Current 2021 Commodity Bids in Historical Perspective Current bids for 2021 delivery in southern Illinois are: Wheat: $5.40 per bushel [...]

By |September 10, 2020|
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