Posts in Corn
Louisiana Corn Planting Starts Slow in 2024

Rain is a good thing – though farmers are constantly facing the challenging reality of too much or not enough of one of their occupation’s most critical resources. In Louisiana, where corn planting typically kicks off in late February, rebounding rains after 2023’s widespread drought have stalled progress planting 2024 corn.

In USDA crop progress reports released March 11, 18 and 25, each found the state averaging just over two days per week suitable for field work – based on soil moisture and temperature. By March 25, corn planting completion hovered around 52%, a sharp difference from 2023’s 93% and grand progress form the week prior at 28%.

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CornAvery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau, LFETA Seeking Locations of Grain Bin Rescue Tubes

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is working with the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Academy in compiling the locations of grain bin rescue tubes across the state.

Grain bin rescue tubes are specialized pieces of equipment used by first responders to help safely remove someone trapped by flowing grain inside a grain bin or other grain storage facility.

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Louisiana Corn Acres Expected to Decline

Corn is traditionally a staple crop in Louisiana. However, this year may be different.

Beauregard Parish grain farmer David Smith planted 500 acres of corn this year, but he seems to be the outlier in the widespread production decline. Unlike many farmers, Smith is fortunate enough to still have a market to sell all the corn he can grow to a local feed mill.

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Crop Market Update for Corn, Soybean, Rice, and Cotton: March 2024

The WASDE’s March outlook for 2023/24 U.S. corn remains relative to last month. The season-average corn price for producers has been lowered to $4.75 per bushel based on observed prices to date.

The outlook for U.S. soybean supply and use for 2023/24 also remains unchanged for March. While soybean crush is unchanged, the soybean meal extraction rate has been bumped up slightly, and soybean meal exports are mostly higher due to lower domestic use. The U.S. season-average soybean price forecast stays unchanged at $12.65 per bushel.

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After War, Torrential Rains and Historic Drought, Louisiana Farmers Pray for Better 2024

In late 2022, torrential rains hammered Louisiana’s farmers, laying waste to large swaths of cotton and soybean crops, especially in the northeast. Then, last year’s historic drought stunted growth and created a whole different set of problems.

Will Ratcliff, who farms about 3,500 acres in Tensas Parish, keenly felt both events, which came on top of historically high costs for fertilizer and fuel, driven in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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January Market Update for Corn, Soybeans, Rice, and Cotton

This month’s 2023/24 U.S. corn outlook is for greater production, larger food, seed, and industrial use (FSI), increased feed and residual use, and higher ending stocks. Corn production is estimated at a record 15.3 billion bushels, up 108 million as an increase in yield to a record 177.3 bushels per acre is partly offset by a 0.6-million acre decline in harvested area. 

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Severe Drought is Taking a Huge Toll on Louisiana Farms, Forests

Louisiana’s abrupt transition this year from one of the wettest states to one of the driest has had crippling repercussions for its farms and forests.

The state’s agricultural and timber industries have suffered nearly $1.7 billion in losses from the long-running drought and recent bouts of record high temperatures, according to a new report from Louisiana State University researchers.

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Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast: Maximizing Markets for Louisiana Farmers

The primary function of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is to ensure farmers can continue to feed a growing world. One of the ways it does that is by helping move agricultural products through the Louisiana Farm Bureau Marketing Association. In this episode, Karl Wiggers sits down with grain marketing specialists Greg Fox and Grayson Close to talk about the company and how they help farmers across Louisiana sell their crops at the best price at the best time.

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Louisiana Crop Production Report: November 2023

Louisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 119 million bushels, unchanged from the October 1 forecast but up 61 percent from 2022. Based on conditions as of November 1, yield is expected to average 175 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month but up 5 bushels from last year. Producers expect to harvest 680,000 acres of corn for grain, up 245,000 acres from 2022.

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USDA, Corn, Cotton, Rice, Soybeansdon molino
Market Update for Corn, Cotton, Soybeans & Rice: October 2023

This month’s 2023/24 U.S. corn outlook is for reduced supplies, lower feed and residual use and exports, and smaller ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 15.064 billion bushels, down 70 million on a cut in yield to 173.0 bushels per acre. Corn supplies are forecast at 16.451 billion bushels, a decline of 160 million bushels from last month, with lower production and beginning stocks. 

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Key Test Ahead for Controversial Grain Elevator Project in St. John

A controversial proposal to build a grain elevator in St. John the Baptist Parish faces a key test on Monday, when the planning commission takes up a zoning change that has been entangled in court disputes and community opposition to the project.

The parish has applied for the property owned by Greenfield, a grain export company, to be rezoned from residential to industrial land.

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Corn, SoybeansAvery Davidson