Corn Planted At 94%

For the week ending May 31, 2015, limted rainfall over the eastern half of the State allowed producers to get back to spring planting activities, while wet conditions in the west continued to hinder fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures averaged two degrees below normal. The cool, wet conditions were favorable for disease development in wheat, with some producers applying fungicide. Alfalfa harvest progressed slowly, as producers awaited clear conditions. Pastures continued to improve and rated better than last year.

 

 

 

 

There were 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 9 short, 72 adequate, and 15 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 16 short, 76 adequate, and 11 surplus.

 

 

 

 

Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 31 fair, 58 good, and 7 excellent. Corn planted was at 94 percent, behind 99 for both last year and the five-year average. Emerged was at 83 percent, behind 88 last year, but near 85 average.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.