Kansas Corn Crop Shriveling In Intense Heat - 32% Rated Poor/Very Poor

[hatrack]

WICHITA, Kan. - Ottawa farmer Steve Baccus plans to cut most of his dryland corn for silage - trying to salvage what he can as triple-digit temperatures and drought decimate corn fields across the state. Baccus, who also serves as Kansas Farm Bureau president, said his fields are among the last dryland fields in the county still standing. Most of his neighbors already have chopped theirs for silage.

His own no-till practices let his fields hang on to moisture a little longer than most - until finally succumbing as well to the scorching temperatures. Corn under irrigation systems in the county also has shown signs of "tipping," meaning the corn plant is drawing moisture out of its kernels to survive. Smaller kernels hurt yields. "Even irrigation systems are not able to keep up in this situation, with these kinds of winds," Baccus said. He is not alone.

On Monday, the Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reported that 32 percent of the state's corn was in poor to very poor condition. The remaining corn is not faring well, either. About 34 percent was listed in fair condition. Only 29 percent was said to be in good condition, with 5 percent in excellent shape, KASS reported.

The agency listed silage cutting as a major farm activity across Kansas this past week.

EDIT

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/15219782.htm

[donsu]

1. beer prices will be going up - the crops used in making beer are

being burned up in the heat too

[hatrack]

2. LOTS of barley in N. Dakota, Minnesota

Wouldn't you just know it?