5 Months

/

Partners & Friends,

We completed soybean replanting this past week. We have now planted soybeans in five different months this year—a new planting window for us. About half of our March-planted beans are thriving; the other half had to be replanted. Modern soybean production wisdom says one of the easiest ways to increase yields is to plant early. Some years that strategy doesn't work out so well, but in the years it does, the payoff in bushels can be significant. We'll continue pushing the envelope in search of higher production and will be happy to share what we learn along the way.

We sprayed our first-planted corn field with fungicide, and now that all the corn is tasseling, we'll follow suit on the remaining acres. With the high humidity and greenhouse-like growing conditions, there is already discussion of making two fungicide applications this year to help keep plant diseases at bay. A late first cutting of grass hay has been completed, and the second cutting from our new alfalfa seeding is in the barn. There is plenty of mowing to do along roadsides and waterways, as all the rain has really encouraged the waterhemp. We have also cleaned out the last bean bin and shipped the final load of the 2025 crop to Havana. With summer already half over, we've started trimming our special project list because there simply isn't enough time—or labor—to get everything done.

Some of the 45Z rules have finally been announced. The omission of book-and-claim is a huge disappointment for farms like ours. Because we farm using regenerative, lower-input practices, we will not be able to qualify for low-CI credits. A recent study by the National Corn Growers Association also found that Brazil pays substantially lower prices for some of the same chemicals and crop protection products that we use. Add in the on-again, off-again trade negotiations and ongoing conflicts around the world, and it's creating plenty of volatility in both energy and input markets.

The State Fair is only a month away, and school isn't far behind. We're trying to squeeze in a few days away before harvest is upon us.

Fall Prices:
Corn — $4.36
Soybeans — $11.63

Reach out with any questions or comments. Stay cool and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Steve