Farm Journal's Pro Farmer Unit To Put Current Yield Predictions To the Test

 

Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer unit scouts will blanket the countryside to measure this year’s corn and soybean yield potential, Aug. 22-25. The Tour, which covers seven Midwest states, is a carefully-watched August ritual over its 24-year history and is the most thorough inspection of yield potential during a critical time in the growing season. In 2016, experts are expecting scouts to find general uniformity in crop conditions, while quantifying expected high potential yields.

 

“We begin this year’s Midwest Crop Tour knowing there is strong yield potential for the corn crop,” stated Pro Farmer Editor Brian Grete. “The data gathered on Tour will help us determine exactly how much yield potential is out there.”

 

Chip Flory, Pro Farmer Editorial Director added, “Last year, there was a lot of variability out there, while this year, expectations for yields and crop size are much more certain. It will be important for Tour participants and observers to keep the bigger picture of total yield and production potential across the Corn Belt in mind, instead of focusing on individual field yield calculations.”

 

More than 100 scouts, industry experts and media reporters will cover approximately 2,000 fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. A summary of the Tour’s findings will be presented at Rochester International Events Center on Aug. 25 in Rochester, Minn. Taped on-location, Farm Journal Media’s “U.S. Farm Report” television program will air a detailed panel discussion led by experts on Saturday, Aug. 27.

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.