Day 9-10: July 5-6, 2020

9th Annual US Corn Belt Crop Tour Summary of the State of South Dakota

The 2020 9th Annual U.S. Corn Belt Crop tour route in the state of North Dakota on July 5th and 6th, 2020. We started in Ashley before heading southwest to Zeeland, north to Bismarck before heading back east and north to Grand Forks. Temps were more seasonal with temps in the mid-80s encountering another rainstorm the evening of July 5th and again on July 6th but very spotty. Many farmers in the state were able to finally plant corn and soybeans around mid-May before it turned dry in June but there were a lot of haves and have nots. The wheat yields will be down as much as 50% especially west of Bismarck as the acres were planted late and dry weather and heat hit tillers during reproductive stage. Protein will also be down. Despite too much moisture and late planted crops that slightly behind 60F nighttime temps and daytime temps at 80F is prefect growing weather. It was too wet east of Bergen North to Grand Forks.

Thank you to Mark Rohrich Agronomist with Maverick Ag in Ashley, ND for spending some time with us. Mark said that farmers west of Bismarck only received .25 inches of moisture over 2-months but really could have used more like 2 inches to produce a bumper HRS wheat crop so yields and protein will be down more than expected. 2016 was ND’s record corn and soybean yield at 158 and 41.5 bpa respectively. There obviously were more abandoned or failed cares in the state than in any other as the USDA reported a loss of 1.1 million corn acres, but our windshield tour did see a lot more soybean acres up 400K according to the USDA vs. 2019. No heat stress nor disease, but some acres are too wet with plenty of top and subsoil moisture at 81% and 82% respectively. We rate the state a 7.0 out of 10 and it could contribute to higher national yields with a good finish.

Thank you to our proud Premier Sponsor Genesis Ag. Are you searching for healthier soils and higher yields and profits? Look no further, learn more at genesis.ag.

	26,100 Number of farms
	1,506 acres Average size of a North Dakota farm
	39,300,000 acres Land in North Dakota farms
	90% North Dakota’s land area occupied by farms;  the motto, “Strength from the Soil,” appears on the state’s coat of arms and governor’s flag
	1st North Dakota farmers are experts in no-tillage and reduced tillage practices that help save the soil
	Every time Every time we eat spaghetti, chances are there’s North Dakota durum in it
	1,200,000 Turkeys produced annually in North Dakota
	3,200,000 acres Corn acres intended in 2020, -9% vs 2019 141 bu/acre Corn yield in 2019, -12.0 bu/acre vs. 2018
	6,600,000 acres Soybean acres intended in 2020, +18% vs 2019 32.0 bu/acre Soybean yield in 2019, -3.5 bu/acre vs. 2018
	6,800,000 acres Wheat acres intended in 2020, -9% vs. 2019 48.5 bu/acre  Wheat yield in 2019, +0.9 bu/acre vs. 2018

Year to Date Departure from Normal Precipitation (Inches), Valid on: July 15, 2020