What should the burndown strategy be for those crops with planting time upon us?

The Mecosta Farm Bureau hosted a tillage field day in Big Rapids, Mich., in 2014 with the goal of comparing the effects of different tillage types on the production of corn and soil structure.

With China approving Syngenta's Agrisure Viptera trait, South Dakota State University sees the U.S. becoming a major corn export for the country's increasing livestock demands.

When West Union, Iowa, strip-tiller Loran Steinlage built his first berms 10 years ago, he did it with an old planter stripped down to just row cleaners.

The results of the National Corn Growers Association's 2014 national corn yield contest are in, and no-tillers and strip-tillers proved that conservation practices can compete just as well as conventionally tilled fields.

For the second year, a national survey of farmers has documented a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans, as well as a wide variety of other benefits. The survey also details the challenges and benefits farmers expect from cover crops, data on the costs of seed and establishment, and insight into how farmers learn to manage covers.

The wet fields that have delayed growers from harvesting also increases the risk for yield loss from wildlife damage and weak plant integrity due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Grain moisture content at different growth stages is fairly well known. Kernel moisture content decreases as the kernels develop through the blister stage (85%), milk stage (80%), dough stage (70%), dent stage (55%), and finally physiological maturity (30%).

It is already the third week of October and most of the corn is still standing in the field. Some of the earlier-planted fields are being harvested, but at relatively high moisture levels. This is causing some concern among producers as to the potential for ear rot and mycotoxin problems. In fact, we've already received several samples of moldy ears from some fields, but so far the problem does not seem to be widespread, with only a few fields affected and not every ear rot is associated with vomitoxin or other mycotoxin contamination of the grain.

Looking for additional income from your corn acres? If so, consider leasing your corn acres for cattle grazing after grain harvest.