Weekly Ag Update

By ned birkey

msu EXTENSION EDUCATOR EMERITUS - SPARTAN AG 

 The National Weather Service 8-14 day forecast, ending Dec. 8, called for “likely above” normal outlook for both temperature and an outlook for “leaning above” normal precipitation. Unfortunately, all the weather people I watch are saying the same thing, likely cold and wet for now and most of the meteorogical winter of December through February. Even The Old Farmer’s Almanac for their Region 6, (our area of what they call the Lower Great Lakes region) is saying likely snow and cold during these months.

Dec. 21 is the first day of winter but also the winter solstice, the “shortest day” of the year. For Ida, Mich., we will have 9:07:35 of daylight, with sunrise at 7:58 EST and sunset at 5:06pm. The good news is the days then get longer for the next six months until the summer solstice on June 21, when Ida will have 15:13:53 of daylight, with sunrise at 5:59 am DST and sunset at 9:13 pm.

MSU soybean variety trial results are out with the southeast Michigan location in Lenawee County, at the Jason Woods farm, showing good yields. The Roundup Ready (RR) early trial had yields ranging from 93.8 to 73.1 while the RR late trial had yields ranging from 96.7 to 83.6 bushels per acre. The conventional herbicide trial had yields ranging from 98.1 to 64.9 bushels per acre.  Results are available at www.MSUvarietytrials.edu.

Corn variety trial results are now available for the Ohio State location at the OSU OARDC location at Hoytville (think Bowling Green). Very dry weather resulted in lower yields than other northwest trial locations. For early maturity hybrids, yields ranged from 167.7 to 124.7 bushels per acre, and for the full season maturity hybrids, yields ranged from 173.9 down to 105.7 bushels. OSU also publishes a two-year and a three-year summary of hybrid performance and a listing of all the seed fungicide and insecticide treatments and technology traits for the 2025 trial.  Search Google for 2025 OSU corn variety trial.  Unfortunately, Michigan State discontinued their corn and corn silage trials in 2023.

2026 Illinois crop budgets for corn, soybean and wheat projected by the University of Illinois for a Northern Illinois farm return of -$64 per acre for corn (following soybeans) and a +$3 return for soybeans (following corn). There are additional budget projections for highly and lower productive Central Illinois farms and for Southern Illinois. There are many income and expense item variables that can affect individual farms differently than the projections.

Not letting bugs feel at home inside the house can be challenging and maybe non-stop. Common bugs to look for include ants (particularly Carpenter ants), cockroaches, earwigs, flies, house centipedes, silverfish, stink bugs, spiders and boxelder bugs. Tiny gaps around the doors, cracks or holes in the siding and even pets with hitchhiking insects can allow bugs indoor access. Other suggestions include cleaning up the kitchen and under the sink, clean and sweep regularly, dry out damp areas around sinks, dish and clothes washers, not stacking up firewood inside the house or attached garage or even against the house. Ready-to-use pesticides, including baits and aerosols, can create a bug barrier and some are labeled for inside the home around doors, windows, along baseboards, under the sink, etc. Trapping insects in empty water bottles, or even using a fly swatter are possible non-pesticide helps.