This regular feature provides an update of crop growing conditions from several farmers, along with happenings across the farm to ensure overall quality of their product.
Even a fortune teller couldn’t have predicted the ups and downs of the 2024 growing season. Nevertheless, soybean growers across the Upper Midwest persevered and are on the cusp of a busy harvest season.
“It’s been interesting,” said Nancy Kavazanjian, Northern Soy Marketing (NSM) secretary/treasurer. “The season started really wet and then it got really dry.”
Because of the wet weather, Kavazanjian, who farms in Wisconsin, reported that the low spots in fields drowned out. Then, when July didn’t bring rain, the high spots were lost to lack of moisture.
“I don’t think we’re going to have perfect yields,” Kavazanjian said. “It’s not the best year but we’ll have a crop.”
Weather conditions play a pivotal role in determining what crop protection measures are needed to deliver the quality soybeans that customers expect when purchasing U.S. soy.
“We were worried about the early wet weather and then the heat, so we did spray preventative fungicides,” Kavazanjian said. “But weed wise, we do a pretty good job of controlling our weeds. We always have some waterhemp issues but nothing out of the ordinary.”
In the midst of the growing season, Kavazanjian welcomed a group of Northern European soybean purchasers to the farm.
“We love to show off our farm, whether we have excellent crops or just average crops or even bad crops because people need to understand what really is happening on the farm,” Kavazanjian said.
To the west in South Dakota, NSM Board Member Mike McCranie is sitting pretty good.
“I hate to say it but it’s near perfect,” McCranie said. “The soybeans we got in early are near perfect. We planted right up to June 10 but a bulk of them went in late May.”
As for the beans planted late?
“We are finding aphids and grasshoppers in the later planted fields,” McCranie said. “So, we’ve been monitoring those but haven’t had to spray yet. Though, it looks like there is going to be a couple of fields that we’ll have to spray for aphids.”
Before the soybean growers in NSM’s member states – Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin – know it, it’ll be go time. According to the USDA’s latest Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, “89 percent of the nation’s soybean acreage had begun setting pods, 1 percentage point behind last year but 1 point ahead of the 5-year average. On Aug. 25, sixty-seven percent of the nation’s soybean acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, 1 percentage point below the previous week but 9 points above the previous year.”
Like many farmers, McCranie can’t wait.
“I always love harvest,” McCranie said. “It’s when your efforts are rewarded.”
Similarly, Kavazanjian is ready for harvest to commence.
“Even though it’s a time when we get really busy on the farm, I love fall,” Kavazanjian said. “It’s neat to see the harvest start and to see the fruits of your labor. And I just like the cooler weather – I like to wear a hoodie.”
