Milling & Baking News - June 17, 2008 - 11

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acute this year because of projected
tight ending stocks for corn and soybeans in 2009.
Speaking at last week's Sosland
Publishing Purchasing Seminar, Jon
Davis, chief meteorologist, Chesapeake Energy Corp., said the late
planting and slow development of
the corn crop pushed the "pollination
window" about two weeks later (into
late July-early August) in the Midwest
into a hotter, drier peroid. "If corn was
on time, there would be little risk," he
said. "The risk is higher this season."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
reduced its projected 2008-09 corn crop
to 11,735 million bus, down 390 million
bus from its May projection and down
1,339 million bus, or 10%, from the record large crop of 13,074 million bus in
2007. Corn use in 2008-09, projected at
12,510 million bus, would exceed production if the forecasts hold.
"Growing conditions took a turn for
the worse in the Midwest, despite a
marked warming trend," the National
Agricultural Statistics Service of the
U.S.D.A. said in its Weekly Weather and
Crop Bulletin for the week of June 1-7.
"The torrential Midwestern rain caused
widespread river and lowland flooding,
halted planting and replanting operations and washed out some fields."
In a somewhat controversial move,
the U.S.D.A. slashed projected corn
yield by 5 bus per acre, to 148.9 bus
from 153.9 bus in May. Typically, yield
adjustments are minor prior to the
first actual survey estimates that are
released in the August Crop Production report.
"This month's reduction reflects slow
planting progress, slow crop emergence
and persistent, heavy rainfall across the
Corn Belt," the U.S.D.A. said. "The latest rounds of torrential rainfall are expected to reduce plant populations and
nitrogen availability, particularly for
corn planted after mid-May."
But Mr. Salmon said the U.S.D.A.
yield number might not be low
enough.
"I was at 149 bus an acre a week ago
and now I'm at 146 bus," he said. "And
it's too late to plant or replant corn in
most areas, which could mean the loss
of 7 million or 8 million acres."
The most severely affected states
appear to be Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio. These
six states in 2007 accounted for 7,085
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"Spring tillage is 78% complete, 23
days behind a year ago and over a
month behind normal," the Missouri
field office of the U.S.D.A. said of the
week ended June 8. The Ohio U.S.D.A.
field office in its crop report issued June
9 said, "Some areas will require replanting in fields located in low lying areas."
Effects of the heavy rainfall on
soil moisture were reported by state
U.S.D.A. field offices. As of June 8,
top soil moisture was 44% surplus in
Indiana (1% a year ago), 74% in Iowa

million bus of corn, or 54% of the U.S.
crop, and 1,414 million bus of soybeans, or 55% of the crop.
"Many fields that were planted and
several that are yet to be planted will
most likely lay idle this year due to the
lateness of the season," the Indiana Field
Office of the U.S.D.A. said in its June 9
crop report. Severe flooding occurred in
many central and
southern
areas
with more than 11
inches of rain in
some areas for the
week. Governor
Mitchell Daniels
Jr. requested the
federal government
expedite
declaration of a
"major disaster"
in 44 counties in
Indiana last week.
"Today,
Iowans are experiencing some of
the worst flood- Severe flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, resulted in collapse of
ing our state has CRANDIC railroad bridge, above, and closure of the Cargill soy processseen in more ing and Quaker Oats plants among many other businesses.
than a decade,"
Iowa Governor Chet Culver said on (21%), 42% in Wisconsin (8%), 61% in
June 8. As of June 10 the governor had Illinois (1%), 46% in Missouri (15%)
proclaimed 44 of the state's 99 counties and 57% in Ohio (3%).
While most focus has been on corn,
disaster areas. The Iowa field office of
the U.S.D.A. said 7% of the state's corn soybean planting at 77% and emerhad been replanted as of June 8, com- gence at 56% as of June 8 significantly
lagged five-year averages of 89% and
pared with none normally.
"A steady succession of severe storms 74%, respectively, the U.S.D.A. said.
"It's still not too late to plant soycharacterized by inches of rain, high
winds and tornadoes along with flood- beans, but yield potential is decreasing, prevented fieldwork and resulted in ing," Mr. Salmon said. Additionally,
because the winter wheat crop was
standing water in fields," the office said.
"Rainfall totals exceeded 9 inches maturing later than normal, it could
in areas of Southwest Wisconsin," be too late for planting soybeans in
that state's U.S.D.A. field office said those areas of the southern Midwest
in its June 9 crop update. Wisconsin that typically double crop, he said.
Although winter wheat appears to
Governor Jim Doyle declared a state
of emergency in 30 counties early last have come through the most recent wet
week because of widespread flooding weeks mostly unscathed, some recent
hard red winter harvest delays were
and severe storms.
Six counties in southeastern Illinois noted in parts of Oklahoma and Kanwere declared disaster areas by Gover- sas, and more should be expected, Mr.
nor Rod Blagojevich. The problem was Salmon said. Soft red winter wheat in
amplified by the failure of levees on the southern and eastern Midwest did
two rivers in the region. Heavy flood- not benefit from the rain because of its
maturity, but it also probably was not
ing was reported in some areas.
Although the worst of the heaviest significantly harmed, he noted.
In addition to weekly crop progress
rains missed much of Missouri and
Ohio, both states were excessively wet and condition reports issued by the
and crop development was well be- U.S.D.A. each Monday afternoon, the
hind normal due to cool and wet con- June 30 Acreage report will be critical
this year. MBN
ditions in April and May.
Milling & Baking News

THE GAZETTE, CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA

Rain inundates late-planted corn,
soybean crops

June 17, 2008 / 11

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Milling & Baking News - June 17, 2008

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