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.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a new voluntary Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) program to encourage the use of verified, safer pesticide spray products to reduce exposure and pesticide movement while saving farmers money in pesticide loss.

Last week the Environmental Protection Agency issued approval for Enlist Duo, the glyphosate/2,4-D premix for use in the Enlist corn and soybean system, in six states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The approval came with a number of conditions that set a new precedent, and we will cover these in more detail later this fall.

The two primary requirements for soybean seed germination are temperatures above 50 F and seed moisture percentages greater than 50%. Air temperatures and seed moisture content during seed-filling are well above these minimums. But soybean seeds almost never germinate before maturity. Soybean, like many other grain crops, possess several mechanisms that prevent sprouting before maturity.

Alex Lundgren, product sales specialist with Ag Leader, provides and overview of the new Hydraulic Down Force 8-Section Control system which includes row-by-row sensing and a stress minimizing accumulator that prevents unnecessary stress on the planter row units.

Trent Sanderson, strip-tiller near Clare, Ill., shares his approach to detailed management and analysis of farm data to make better decisions on fertilizer application, fuel usage and yield potential to provide a specific per-acre payback on their 2,000 corn and soybean operation.

Stillman Valley, Ill., strip-tiller Cade Bushnell shares his reasoning and results moving from no-tilled to strip-tilled corn-on-corn. He'd struggled with residue management and consistent emergence in no-till, but has seen improvement since moving to strip-till.

Cresco, Iowa, strip-tiller Frank Moore shares his experience incorporating cover crops into his 2,000 acre operation. With changing weather patterns and more "event storms", that can erode soil structure, Moore's goal with cover crops in strip-till is to establish the crop in winter and have it help control spring rainfall through an established root system to hold soil in place.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced several steps that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking to address the increase of herbicide-resistant weeds in U.S. agricultural systems.