Early stages of corn harvest and an update on crop conditions

Welcome to the Outstanding in the Field podcast. It is the first week of September twenty twenty six. My name is Doug Gucker, Extension commercial ag educator here in East Central Illinois. We are at the early stages of corn harvest with area elevators beginning to offer reduced drying charges for higher moisture corn. Due to the very uneven monthly distribution of rain fall across portions of East Central Illinois, with one month much above normal and the next month much below normal, this seems to have stressed the corn root systems of some corn hybrids more than others.

We are seeing higher than normal levels of corn root, crown, and lower stem rots in these areas. In fields where I have submitted corn root and lower stalk samples to the U of I Plant Clinic, they have been diagnosed with both Rhizoctonia crown and stem rot and Pythium root and or crown rot. The sizes of corn ears within fields seems to be varying quite a bit. The milk line of early planted mid season corn hybrids is approaching the kernel tip with black layer at or before Labor Day. Corn stalk quality in areas is questionable with push test results varying from nine out of 10 standing to zero out of 10 standing. Early maturing soybean fields are reaching R 8 full maturity stage. Majority of other fields are in R 7 beginning maturity stage. A new crop is sprouting in our area.

2,400 acres of solar farms are either currently under construction or will be during 2027. At the end of August, the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers released results of their mid year membership survey of twenty twenty seven farmland rent lease trends, cash rent prices, and the 2026 farmland values indicated that 2027 cash rent will decline by 3 to $5 per acre across the good, excellent, and average farmland classes. Farmland values in the first six months of 2026 declined 1% for excellent quality and 2% for good and average quality classes. At the beginning of September, the U of I farm economists released their first quarterly estimates for the 2027 crop budget with breakeven prices for corn and soybeans being $4.90 and $11.10 respectively.

Their next 2027 crop budget estimates will be at the end of November or the beginning of December. With harvest here, remember to take short breaks and eat healthy snacks during those long harvest days. Both of these help to keep your mind and focus sharp. As always, remember, it is profit per acre, not yield per acre, that keeps you in the farming business. Thanks for listening.