Indiana
Although high temperatures and humidity continue to place stress on livestock, pastures are 65 percent good, compared with 68 last year and, overall, crop progress exceeds the National Agricultural Statistics Services’ (NASS) five-year average.

More than 96 percent of the state’s corn has tasseled and 38 percent of the crop is in dough stage. Last year at this time, those figures were dramatically lower – 73 percent tasseled and 8 in dough.

Some disease problems are beginning to appear in a few scattered soybean fields, but so far the crop looks good, with 87 percent blooming and 59 setting pods. Last year’s figures were 65 and 17; the five-year average was 78 and 35, respectively.

There were 5.6 days suitable for field work last week. For some, that meant harvesting the second cutting of alfalfa hay, now 94 percent complete compared with 88 percent last year and 93 for the five-year average. Fifteen percent of the third cutting is complete.

NASS reported major activities during the week included cutting and baling hay, scouting fields for insects and diseases, monitoring irrigation systems, cleaning out grain bins, attending county fairs, mowing roadsides and ditches and caring for livestock.

For most farm workers, taking time to get out of the sun with a cool drink was equally important. Good hydration is as important for humans as it is for livestock and pets. The Mayo Clinic notes those most at risk for heatstroke are the people who never perspire.
By Ann Allen
Indiana Correspondent

Illinois
While continued hot and dry conditions took a toll on corn and soybeans across much of the state in early August, farmers in other areas were still dealing with the after-effects from record rainfall amounts in July.

“We have people who have replanted three times and still don’t have a corn crop,” reported Blake Roderick, executive director of the Pike and Scott County Farm Bureau in western Illinois. “There are spots in the middle of fields where there is no corn on the stalks because of the heavy rains we’ve had, causing problems.

“We’ve had so much heavy rain in this area that there are thousands of acres not planted or the plant growth is stunted throughout the field due to wet spots.”

Roderick expects average yields for the area for corn to be down this year, even though many of the area’s crop fields are “looking great.” Still, root strength in most cornfields will be a concern as growers hope for a not-so-breezy maturation period.

“The (soy)beans seem to be doing great at this point,” Roderick added.

According to NASS’ Illinois report for Aug. 9, farmers were baling hay, hauling grain and spraying during a week that offered six days suitable for fieldwork. Corn was reported at 78 percent in the dough stage, compared to 27 in 2009 and the five-year average of 57. Dented corn was 27 percent higher than last year, at 29.

Ninety-four percent of soybeans were blooming, up from 78 last year and comparable to the five-year average of 90. Soybeans setting pods were at 71 percent, up from 39 and the five-year average of 66.

Because of late planting and replanting of corn and soybeans, Illinois producers planted and harvested one of the smallest wheat crops in history, Mike Roegge, crop systems educator for the Adams/Brown county extension office, told the Quincy Herald-Whig, “It’s probably the worst I’ve ever seen. When you seed late, you don’t get a lot of tillering in the fall. If there’s not a lot of tillering, there’s not a lot of heads for yield.”
By Tim Alexander
Illinois Correspondent

Ohio
Scattered showers throughout the state provided needed moisture to some areas, according to the Aug. 9 Ohio NASS report. There were some reports of insect pressure on soybeans, including Japanese beetle and spider mites, but overall pressure was light. Early tobacco harvest began in the southern counties but much of the crop was still behind normal.

In many fields corn kernel development was well ahead of what has been seen in early August in recent years, especially 2009, said Peter Thomison in The Ohio State University agronomic newsletter. Much of the corn planted in April and early May is in the dent stage with milk lines visible. A continuation of high temperatures will promote rapid grain drydown and the potential for an early harvest, Thomison said.

Sixty-five percent of the corn crop was in dough, compared to 37 for the five-year average. Ten percent of corn was dented, 7 ahead of the five-year average.

Ninety-six percent of soybeans were blooming, right in line with the five-year average. Seventy-eight percent of the beans were setting pods, compared to 72 for the five-year average.

With 5 percent of the processing tomatoes harvested, just ahead of the 4 percent five-year average, late blight in the crop was confirmed on an organic farm in Harrison County and a conventional farm in Knox County, according to Sally Miller, OSU professor of plant pathology. This follows confirmations of late blight in potatoes or tomatoes in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New York.
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent

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