The next couple months are going to be a key for Iowa farmers in determining the success of this year’s growing season for the state’s two top crops. Iowa State University ag economist, Robert Wisner , says the recent U-S-D-A indicates the weather will be the biggest factor impacting corn and bean prices. He says the major focus for the next six or eight weeks will be on growing conditions. He says conditions now are getting close to 1994 when we had a record yield of corn and soybeans in theU.S. A record yield can be bad news for prices. He says a repeat of the 1994 record yield would likely push prices down significantly. But, he says it’s not all bad news. He says the income-protection features of the farm bill would come into operation and would be a significant source of income for farmers in light of the lower prices. Wisner says rainfall would be the biggest variable in changing the yields. He says drought would be the major item that would change yields, he says there could be a disease or insect problem crop up, but he says those are rare. Flooding is another problem, but Wisner says that appears to be unlikely. Reports indicate the corn acreage is up four percent this year, while bean planting is up one percent.
