Report: Record Illinois Harvests on Way

SPRINGFIELD – The newly-released (Sept. 11) USDA-NASS Illinois Crop Production report confirms what many Illinois farmers had suspected: record corn and soybean harvests are on the way. Illinois’ 2014 corn yield is projected by USDA at 194 bushels per acre, up six bushels from August and 16 bushels from 2013. The yield would shatter the previous record of 180 bu./acre set in 2004. Corn production, forecast at 2.29 billion bushels, will increase by nine percent over 2013 production, and surpass the 2007 record of 2.28 billion bushels.

Illinois’ 2014 soybean harvest will also set new records, USDA predicts, with 56 bu./acre and 563 million bushels in production.  USDA estimates harvested areas for corn at 11.8 million acres and soybeans at 10.05 million acres, unchanged from their previous forecast in August.

Grain Elevators Ramping Up Capacity

PEORIA – Grain elevators, in anticipation of a 2009-like harvest frenzy, have been gearing up for an anticipated avalanche of corn and beans by adding storage space and improving grain drying facilities. At Bell Enterprises, which operates elevators in Deer Creek, Congerville, Mackinaw and Goodfield, large increases in storage and drying capacity have been made over the past five years, said Kim Craig, a grain merchandiser for the company.

“We’ve increased our storage capacity since 2009 by 1.8 million bushels, and we’ve added 3,000 bushels per hour in drying capacity. Considering all of our facilities, we have 22 or 23,000 bushels per hour of drying capacity,” said Craig, adding that he doesn’t expect lines at Bell elevators to be any longer than last year– unless there is a large increase over the 230 bu./acre of corn facility operators are prepared for.

“We feel we are prepared, but if this crop comes in at, say, 270 bu./acre instead of 230, than things may be different,” he said. “If the harvest is what we are expecting, we are prepared.”

Craig and Jeff Kaeb, assistant grain merchandiser for Grainland Cooperative, agree that drying the 2014 crop will be less of a challenge than in 2009, when many Illinois grain elevators experienced significant delays drying a large, moist corn crop.

“After the ‘09 season we beefed up our drying at all locations,” said Kaeb, whose company operates north-central Illinois elevators in Eureka, El Paso and Secor, along with Minier and Armington in south-central Illinois. “We’re going to be able to dry it here in the north, no problem.”

Farmers in south-central Illinois are also expecting a bumper crop this year. However, farmers from that area may find elevators’ drying capacity stretched a little more thin than those in the north, Kaeb cautioned.

“We’ll probably ground pile in Armington,” he said.

Yields Varying By Region, Early Conditions

TOLUCA – Farmers are reporting varying levels of success with their crops across Illinois, with many anticipating record yields for corn and soybeans, as USDA suggests in their most recent Illinois Crop Production report. Some are expecting corn harvests that will fall short of their own personal yield records due to early-season problems including downed stalks, stem rot and ear-tipping. But not even those issues are likely to keep eastern Marshall county farmer Bob Fecht from harvesting a record corn crop this year, he said last week.

“I expect this is probably one of the best crops I’ll ever harvest, and I’ve been farming since 1985,”said Fecht, who serves as president of the Marshall-Putnam County Farm Bureau.

But in far southern Illinois early drought-like conditions may have damaged corn yields at harvest, according to Tim Lenz, former Illinois Corn Growers Association president. “We went from the middle of June to the middle of July without any rain so that might have taken the very top off of the yields,” Lenz texted on Sept. 11. “I tried some corn a couple of days ago and it tested 23 percent (moisture) and the yield was good, but not any better than last year. The beans are just starting to turn. They look about average.”

Livestock Boom in Illinois

BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois livestock industry is on pace to eclipse the record for “notices of intent” to construct new or expanded livestock housing facilities. The previous record was 142 notices in 2007, but that record is on pace to be beaten as of August, according to Nic Anderson, Illinois Livestock Development Group (ILDG) business developer.

“There is a real opportunity in livestock in Illinois right now. The corn crop is expected to be huge, prices are low, and margins are good,” Anderson said. “The best margin exists for poultry growth simply because the building costs for hogs and cattle have escalated.”

The ILDG developer noted that those interested in establishing Illinois livestock facilities should act fast to take advantage of market conditions. “There’s still money to be made. There should not be an empty barn in Illinois,” said Anderson, adding that there are currently about ten new turkey finishing facilities going up in Illinois. (Ill. Corn Daily Update)

IPPA: Use Caution With Fall Nutrients

SPRINGFIELD – Amidst all of the hubbub about record crop harvests and falling grain prices, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) took time last week to issue a reminder to pork producers to pay close attention to safety as they pump manure to apply on crop acres as a sustainable fertilizer. “Several benefits are available to producers that use manure for Illinois crops,” said Ted Funk, an IPPA consultant and retired University of Illinois Extension specialist.

“Manure is a good crop fertilizer product. We have better tools, better methods and training, and better science than ever for using this valuable resource,” Funk said in an IPPA news release.

Benefits to producers include supplying nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to feed growing crops. Manure also supplies micronutrients and organic matter that enhance crop production, according to Funk.

“Water holding capacity in the soil increases and infiltration rates improve, combining to reduce water runoff. All these benefits add up to quite a nice package when manure is applied at the right time, with the right method, and at the right amount,” he said.

Illinois Farm Fact:

Central Illinois farmland cash rents average $263, the highest average of any region. (USDA-NASS Ill. Cash Rent County Estimates Sept. 2014)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for the News Bulletin, Farm World and many other publications.)