Western Crop Tour sees low numbers and high emotions

by | Aug 20, 2019 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Coming into the Western Leg of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour, there was a lot of concern about what we would see going into South Dakota. There was worry about the amount of prevent plant acres, and we did see a lot of black dirt.

In Grand Island, Nebraska, we received the final tour estimates for South Dakota. Western tour lead Jeff Wilson fills us in.

The real story with the corn was about plant population and maturity. As Wilson says, we need many more days of heat to get the South Dakota corn crop to the finish line.

Soybeans were equally as distressing in the state.

Wilson says there isn?t a lot of potential for adding to those pod counts. What you see is what you get.

Emotions ran high among some of the producers at the Grand Island meeting, and understandably so. Farmers are worried about fighting a battle against both Mother Nature and Father Time. The crops need dry heat, and they need a later than average frost if they are going to get there with any form of success. Newlin is a scout and a farmer from Southeastern Illinois. He talks about how some farmers feel like their back is against a wall.

The tour continues Tuesday to Nebraska City, before moving into Western Iowa on Wednesday.

The Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour is owned and Operated by Farm Journal