Week 29, 2024 WILLAg.org Week in Review
Week 29, 2024
Here are the University of Illinois Extension | WILLAg.org highlights for work week ending Friday, July 19, 2024.
WILLAg.org Closing Market Report
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Monday University of Missouri’s Ben Brown discussed the changes in the July USDA WASDE. Near the end of our conversation, he made explicit note that these changes carried through both the old and new crop supplies.
Tuesday we heard from the farmdoc Team’s Joana Colussi. She wrote an article for the farmdoc Daily website about corn exports across the planet focusing on Brazil, and concluding the United States would regain the title of #1 corn exporter in the new crop marketing year.
Wednesday our Closing Market Report discussions turned to S-A-F or Sustainable Aviation Fuels in something of a not “if but when” conversation with the Geoff Cooper of the Renewable Fuels Association.
Thursday’s CMR was filled with three U of I ACES grads. Two will be on the road with us next Thursday in Augusta, IL for the Illinois Soybean Association’s Tailgate Talk and supper. Matt Bennett is the regular Thursday market analyst, Connor Sible is in the ACES Department of Crop Sciences, and Mike Tannura hails from Tstorm Weather. Connor and Matt will make the trip to western Illinois. There are more details on that trip next week’s calendar.
Friday, Gary Schnitkey headlined the daily radio program. He took it up in detail a farmdoc Daily article discussing crop insurance premiums and payouts. Farmers in the Midwest average about .4 on the return which means others are well above 1. Eric Snodgrass also joined us from Nutrien Ag Solutions, per our usual Friday discussion.
During Commodity Week, our weekly look at the marketplace, just one panelist joined us. University of Illinois College of ACES grad, now in the 22nd year of his career, Brian Stark of The Andersons helped us detail consumption for this year and next. We also discussed how the longer than normal planting window this season might impact fall corn harvest.
On the Calendar Next Week
Monday, July 22 | Come Visit the CornBox - The CornBox is ILLINOIS’ version of a sandbox to test innovations for digital agriculture in a live corn field. Come see research in action that combines advances in genetics, sensors, and computing to increase the sustainability of future corn production.
Short walking tours will begin at 1:00 pm on Monday, July 22, at the South Farms, and new tours will start on the hour until 3:00 pm. Tours will include presentations on how advances in biology, sensors, and computing are being evaluated together in the CornBox to discover new approaches for crops and farmers to manage environmental change.
Highlights this year include: 1) Adjusting leaf shape to enhance light capture in high-density plantings. 2) Monitoring late-season nitrogen dynamics that boost corn yields. 3) Improving yields by altering how plants sense soil nitrogen.
1–5 pm Monday, July 22 Crop Sciences Research and Education Center 4202 S. First St. Champaign, IL 61822
Wednesday, July 24 | Monmouth Agronomy Day - Join us for the 2024 Ag Field Day at the University of Illinois Research farm in Monmouth at the Northwestern Illinois Agriculture Research and Demonstration Farm. We will be doing in-field tours and talks, so this is a true field day!
Speakers include Gary Schnitkey, Caleb Wepprecht, Giovani Preza Fontes, Emerson Nafziger, Boris X Camiletti, and Nick Seiter. Topics covered will include economic outlook and trends, herbicide update, corn/soybean outlook, current diseases, and insect management.
In an attempt to beat the summer heat, the program will start at 8:30 a.m. and run until 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be served following the tour.
8:30–11:30 am Wednesday, July 24 Northwestern Illinois Agriculture Research and Demonstration Farm 321 210th Ave Monmouth, IL 61462
Wednesday, July 24 | AgriVoltaics Field Day - Agrivoltaics is a relatively recent idea that combines solar panels for electricity generation with agricultural production to improve land use efficiency and farmer incomes. This field day will give attendees the opportunity to see an agrivoltaics system and to better understand the possibilities of combining agronomic crops with solar power generation to improve farmer’s economic incomes and resilience. Click Here for more information.
9:30-Noon Wednesday, July 24 University of Illinois Energy Farm 4110 S Race St Urbana, Illinois 61801
Thursday, July 25 | Ewing Agronomy Day - Illinois Extension is excited to host their annual Agronomy Field Day at Ewing Demonstration Center on Thursday, July 25, at 9 a.m. with a lunch to follow. The event will feature various educators and campus faculty as they provide best management practices for local growers.
Speakers include Dane Hunter, Talon Becker, Andy Fisher, and Jaqueline Kellerman, Cheyanne Dierickx, Gary Schnitkey, David Bullock, Boris Camiletti, Andrew Margenot, and Heidi Allen. Topics include mental health, economic outlook and trends, the DIFM and on-farm trials, disease management, fertilizers, and nutrient loss.
9am–1:15 p.m Thursday, July 25
16132 N. Ewing Rd. Ewing, Illinois 62836
The center is on the north edge of the village of Ewing, north of the Ewing Grade School. Additional signage will be posted near the center.
The field day is free, and lunch will be provided. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs will also be offered. To register, visit go.illinois.edu/EwingFieldDay or call (618) 439–3178.