Some weather forecasters are expecting temperatures in the mid-90s for the western Corn Belt as July 20 approaches. That date is significant since some corn is expected to begin tasseling around that time. Current indications are that much of the western Corn Belt crop may be in pollination between July 20 and July 31. Hot, dry weather at that time could seriously reduce yields. A slow start for late planted soybeans is also causing concern in the grain trade.
Problems appear to be most serious in the eastern Corn Belt.
Nearly one-third of the nation's soybean crop was planted after the middle of June, and in parts of the eastern Corn Belt, conditions shifted abruptly from saturated soils to no rain at all. Official estimates dropped the nation's projected corn yield to 123 bushels per acre, from 126 bushels last month. A normal yield would be around 126 to 127 bushels per acre. The lower yield was offset by a 1.4 million acre increase from mid-June corn acreage projections. This was not a new acreage estimate, but only a shift from mid-June numbers to the new data released with the June 30 planted acreage report.