“Knee-high by the Fourth of July” may be a challenging mark to reach this year, but you should see area crops begin to shoot up thanks to the recent heat wave.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, approximately 86 percent of the oats, 85 percent of the corn, and 76 percent of the soybeans planted have emerged, which is one to two weeks behind last year’s pace. Rio Creek Feed Mill agronomist Adam Barta says the cool temperatures this spring have been mainly to blame because the crops need warmer weather to thrive. With temperatures getting close to 90 degrees in some areas, Barta says you will see plants shoot up with some timely rains.
Barta adds the plants that have emerged look good at this stage, even fields that dialed back on fertilizer at the beginning due to the high prices. He says some farmers are holding on to hope that they will be able to add more later in the summer at a lower price.
