2012
LOGAN COU
NTY FARM OUTLOOK MAGAZINE. LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com October 23, 2012
10
volume for average years was trucked
to the elevator during harvest, and 80-
85
percent of the normal soybean crop.
Were the production estimates predicting
catastrophically low yields off?
The answer was not in the production
estimate but rather in the handling
recommendations for corn with aflatoxin.
It was recommended by the USDA that
producers avoid on-farmstorage for undried
corn because Aspergillus flavus would
continue to produce aflatoxin in their bins.
Instead, farmers rushed all their
production to the elevators to offload the
liability as early as possible. At the elevators
the corn was dried to below 13 percent
moisture, stabilized and made ready for
storage to stop aflatoxin production.
This year it is expected that the lower
yields would be realized at the elevator
later in the season because there will be
few, if any, late-season loads from on-farm
storage.
Some have argued that we currently
have drought-resistant hybrids. In this
yield discussion, we have stated that what
we have currently are drought-tolerant
hybrids. Drought-resistant hybrids must be
developed which have the genetic qualities
to resist Aspergillus flavus and stave off
aflatoxin even in heavy drought years like
2012.
An effective yield is the production that
produces a profit.
Inlightof theproductionandyieldproblems
this year, many new procedures will likely be
put in place, such as genetic modifications,
chemical applications, fertilizing, post-
harvest treatment and handling to increase
effective yields and protect profits.
[
Jim Youngquist]