Corn South March 2024

Be Safe For Everyone On The Farm

Amanda Huber Editor

is is not an easy column to write and won’t be easy to read, either. I could have passed on this topic, but would that have been the right thing to do? I was so strongly moved by it that I thought it too important not to write about.

I was perusing the Clemson University Agricultural Safety web pages recently and found the Ag Injury News Report for January 2024. is is a listing of the farm-related deaths or injuries around the United States from the previous quarter October through December 2023. ere were ve reports, four were deaths and one was a recoverable injury.

We all know farming is a dangerous occupation. It involves big, heavy equipment, sharp tools, ammable liquids and materials, going over the road with other drivers who are always in a rush. en there’s a big danger in the corn industry – grain bins. ese structures have safety procedures and rescue training all their own.

at there were four unfortunate events that claimed lives through agricultural accidents is not all that surprising. e tragic part is that two of those four reports involved two-year-olds. Is there anyone more lled with wonder and wide-eyed at all things on the farm than a toddler? Unfortunately, they’re also mobile, and quick, but equally completely unaware of any dangers.

ousands of kids grow up on farms. I grew up on one as did my kids. It’s likely that you did too, as are your kids. But it only takes seconds for a tragedy to happen. Let this be a reminder to watch out for everyone, especially those li le ones, at all times. It’s easy to get busy, in a rush, lost in your thoughts of what needs to be done on the farm. However, the last thing you will ever want is for you or a child to be a part of this report.

Economic Forecast

2024 Agriculture Outlook

Key takeaways as part of the 2024 Georgia Ag Forecast are that the broader U.S. economy likely will experience a slowdown along with lower price in ation. Food and commodity prices also are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels.

e most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture farm income forecast, which indicates falling output prices, signals lower revenues across the board for crops and livestock. Coupled with slightly increasing costs, the nation’s farm income is expected to decline by 17% between 2022 and 2023.

Georgia’s 2023 net farm income is likely to return to the 10-year average of about $3 billion.

Potential upsides for Georgia are the possibility of higher demand for poultry, co on and peanuts from domestic and overseas markets.

Risks to this forecast are higher input costs, geopolitical risks, cheaper imports of some commodities and a global economic slowdown.

U.S. Agricultural Economy

e annual U.S. agricultural outlook from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates the following:

Production is projected to grow among ve of the eight major crops, including upland co on, soybeans, wheat, corn and rice during the projection period (2024–2033). Declines are expected for oats, barley and sorghum. Despite reduced or at acreage for most crops during the projections, yield growth either pulls production either higher or limits the rate of production decline.

Prices of all the crops remain steady or decline before stabilizing early in the projection period. is follows the record or near-record price environment during 2021 and 2022. Prices were very elevated because of strong demand, and there were production problems for many crops in 2021 and/or 2022.

Net returns (revenues minus variable costs) per acre are signi cantly lower during the projection period for all crops a er record levels for most of these crops were real-

ized in the high-priced environment of 2021 or 2022. is is because prices initially decline and then stabilize. Changes in net returns are mixed, with barley, corn and oats rising over the projection period, while the other crops experience moderate declines.

U.S. crop exports are expected to remain steady or increase to various degrees over the next decade. e exception is soybean meal, which is projected to show an aggregate decline of 2.5%, but from elevated levels. Exports of corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and upland co on are expected to rise steadily over the projection period, but none reach record volumes.

Farm Income

Separately, USDA also forecasts that farm sector income is expected to fall in the near-term, a er reaching record highs in 2022. Net farm income, a broad measure of pro ts, reached $182.8 billion in calendar year 2022, increasing $42.4 billion (30.2%) from 2021 in nominal dollars. However, in 2023, net farm income is forecast to decrease by $31.8 billion (17.4%) from 2022 to $151.1 billion. Key changes between 2022 and 2023 include:

■ Falling cash receipts for both crops and livestock (about a 5% decline), primarily from falling prices.

■ Increasing total production expenses, especially interest and livestock/poultry expenses (about 3.5%).

■ Declining government payments (22.3%).

Article by UGA Extension as part of the 2024 Georgia Ag Forecast series.

Corn South: Covering Southern Corn Production

CornSouth is a supplement to the Mid-South and Southeast versions of Cotton Farming magazine and to The Peanut Grower magazine for producers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. To receive CornSouth, visit www.CornSouth.com and click on “Subscribe to CornSouth.”

Cover photo by Rob Jamieson/Dreamstime.com

CASSIDY NEMEC

Planting Efficiency

Cover Crop Termination And Preparation For Planting

Cover cropping is a popular agricultural topic primarily driven by the goal of improving soil health and water quality. Cover crops produce vegetation that can help protect the soil from erosion, improve soil organic matter and provide other benefits during the winter. However, abundant vegetation produced by cover crops can physically impede mechanical operations, such as planting, and may also introduce issues with crop production by immobilizing nitrogen in the soil, and promoting various insect, disease and weed issues which threaten subsequent crops and limit productivity.

Winter cover crops naturally grow past optimal spring planting times for primary crops, so terminating them prior to crop planting could potentially address many issues causing interference. However, the extent of the potential benefits associated with cover cropping, such as biomass contribution and nitrogen fixation, will likely be meager if they are terminated too soon. Conversely, profuse cover crop growth greatly increases many problems documented to increase failure.

Corn is the first crop suitable for planting in the spring, which stresses the timing conflict with cover crops. Furthermore, corn is also extremely sensitive to emergence failure and plant growth disparity, compared to other primary crops, including soybean and cotton. Cover crop vegetation can aggravate these issues. Therefore, integration of these cropping systems presents considerable challenge. We have conducted research evaluating methods to incorporate cover crops into successful corn production systems.

Cover crop termination timing was a crucial management factor affecting the successful integration of cover crops with corn. Cover crop vegetation and decaying plant residue not only hindered planter efficiency and stand establishment, but also stunted corn growth and reduced grain yield if cover crop termination timing was delayed close to planting. This was caused by vegetation reducing absorption of solar radiation and limiting soil temperature, which substantially retarded corn seedling growth and resulting development.

Field Studies

Herbicide termination treatments were evaluated at two-week intervals from six weeks preplant until corn planting. A standard cover crop mixture consisting of cereal rye and berseem clover reduced corn grain yield 8% to 15% (14 to 23 bushels per acre) when terminated two to zero weeks preplant, compared with no cover crop in a traditional stale seedbed system. The cover crop produced similar corn yield as no cover crop when terminated four or six weeks preplant. Accordingly, we recommend cover crops be terminated at least four weeks prior to planting corn. The research showed corn yield reduction was greater and occurred further preplant for cereal rye, compared to berseem clover. This shows more interference was associated with cereal rye and is likely related to cereal vegetation having high carbon content, which is slow to decompose and thus produce complications, compared to legumes.

Another method to limit interference is to manipulate distribution of cover crops relative to the row where corn is planted. Our research evaluated numerous seeding methods which limited cover crop establishment in the intended planting zone or row. This included mechanical tillage treatments which concentrated seed in the furrow, rather than the row, as well as strip tillage conducted after cover crop estab-

lishment, which physically removed cover crop plants within the row. Our results showed cover crop distribution managed by various methods did not affect corn productivity when cover crops were terminated with herbicides several weeks prior to planting.

Ways To Reduce Interference

The best method to address most of the primary issues associated with growing cover crops is to terminate them prior to planting the primary crop. More time reduces the opportunity for problems to be transferred to the subsequent crop, as documented as a “green bridge” phenomenon. Problems are also strongly related to the amount of vegetation generated. Regardless, cover crops will produce vegetation or residue, which can physically obstruct seed placement, soil coverage and water imbibition, which hamper stand development.

Row-crop planters are ultimately designed to function in bare soil. Thus, substantial planter modifications are usually needed to help removing either live or dead cover crop plants anchored by their root system, which presents a significant challenge. There are a host of attachments that can be added to or replace parts on a planter including coulters, row cleaners and closing systems designed to improve planter performance in cover crops or any high residue situation. The underlining principle of these products is the ability to efficiently cut and remove vegetation from a strip where seed can be planted. Accordingly, row cleaners and closing systems generally rely on sharpened wheels with deeply serrated angled teeth to cut vegetation, remove it from the planting zone and close the seed furrow to obtain optimal seed-to-soil contact. Popular row cleaners relying on spikes or fingers are not intended to cut or remove vegetation anchored in the soil and thus, will likely struggle when used in cover crops. CS

This is a portion of an article by Erick Larson, Mississippi State University Extension specialist for grain crops. Read the full article at www.mississippicrops.com.

Industry News

Introducing Gravista-D Insecticide For Stored Grain

Central Life Sciences will feature Gravista-D insecticide at Commodity Classic 2024, Feb. 28 – March 2, Houston, Texas. Designed to control insects in stored grain, Gravista-D insecticide combines an adulticide with an insect growth regulator to kill a broad spectrum of insects and break the life cycle. This ready-to-use solution protects post-harvest stored grains from weevils and other costly insects.

Labeled for use in grain sorghum (milo), corn, popcorn, barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat, Gravista-D insecticide can be applied as a pre-bin treatment and on post-harvest grain as it flows into storage for extended residual insect control. It helps protect stored grain from a variety of insects, including the Indian meal moth, sawtoothed grain beetle, red flour beetle, rice weevil, maize weevil, lesser grain borer and other listed pests. Gravista-D insecticide is CODEX approved for cereal grains.

For more information, visit www.BugFreeGrains.com.

New Kinze 5670 Planter

For the 2025 planting season, Kinze Manufacturing is introducing the new 5670 pivot fold, split row model planters that deliver enhanced productivity, increased operator convenience and efficient serviceability.

The 5670 pivot fold, split row planter is available in 12/23-row and 16/31-row configurations, plants both 15-inch and 30-inch row widths and can be used as a dedicated narrow-row planter or a multi-crop planting workhorse. The lift-and-pivot frame provides unmatched balance and stability in the field, narrow width when transporting and best-in-class residue flow with the exclusive cast push row unit.

The 5670 pivot fold, split row model planter is Kinze’s latest addition to its exclusively electric 5000 Series planter lineup that debuts for the 2024 season with the new 5900 and 5700 front fold planters.

For additional information, visit Kinze.com or contact their local Kinze dealer.

New Convergence Biofungicide

Certis Biologicals’ new Convergence biofungicide offers a blend of disease control and plant health in one convenient, cost-effective solution. This reliable biofungicide provides farmers with an EPA-approved, powerful and convenient biological tool to protect and fortify crops. Convergence protects against soilborne fungal and bacterial diseases caused by Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium and Phytophthora. It also provides an additional mode of action against tough-tocontrol foliar diseases, including tar spot, rusts and leaf spots.

Formulated for row crops with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747, Convergence uses naturally occurring, carefully selected microorganisms to create a living shield, safeguarding against diseases and preserving the delicate balance of soil and plant health, all while improving the farmer’s bottom line.

This solution does not impact beneficial insects, fostering longterm biodiversity and sustainability, and equipping farmers with a tool to manage resistance on their terms. Convergence can be incorporated into existing conventional programs through in-furrow or foliar applications. It has no special storage requirements and can be tank-mixed with nearly any synthetic application.

Convergence has been tested on fields throughout the Midwest and continues to demonstrate efficacy and good return on investment for corn and soybean farmers.

“In field trials, Convergence has shown it can help increase corn yields compared to zinc starter fertilizer alone,” says Shaun Berry, vice president of research and development with Certis Biologicals.

To contact your local Certis representative, visit www.certisbio. com/contact.

Distinguished Chair Honors Professor’s Legacy

Hopeful for increased crop yields and advancement of the state’s agricultural economy, the Corn Growers Association of North Carolina and NC State University are equally committed to the agronomy industry’s future.

This partnership is united through the research of Ronnie Heiniger, NCSU professor of corn production and management and the state’s sole corn Extension specialist since 1994. And the new Ronnie W. Heiniger Distinguished Chair in Corn Extension Agronomy in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences will continue Heiniger’s research and Extension efforts following his retirement in 2025.

Rhonda Garrison, CGANC executive director, says “We thought an endowment would be the best way to ensure that that position was filled in perpetuity by someone that would carry his vision forward.”

Throughout his career, Heiniger has performed field trials and farm visits to educate North Carolina growers and businesses on the latest industry innovations to increase corn yields. He was a member of the first USDA-funded international think tank on site-specific agriculture in 1995, and his applied research programs in precision agriculture and remote sensing have garnered national recognition.

Additionally, he was at the forefront of genetic research on stress tolerance and says that the think tank was the first group to use GPS for farming needs, both of which positively impacted the state’s corn production.

“When I went back to school and came to North Carolina, my goal was to make a difference to farmers – to try to give them some peace of mind of what they were doing,” Heiniger says. “Whatever I did, I wanted to find a way to make those folks more successful.”

As the second-largest row crop in the state and an essential component of North Carolina’s $103.2 billion agribusiness impact, corn not only fuels the livestock and equine industries but is present in many everyday items, from oils and cosmetics to paper products and building materials. Although production is steadily increasing, the state’s overall corn yield has not kept pace with the demands of the thriving animal agriculture industry. CS