Focusing In On 2021 Decisions

Now that we are putting a close to the 2020 cropping season, we are shifting focus on the 2021 crop. So, what should we plan for? An average year, a dry year, or a wet year?

If we look at the last 6 years' precipitation, we have had two average, two below average, and two above-average years.

The data below shows rain totals for the Ocheyedan and Doon weather stations. You can see a couple of years where there was quite a difference between the weather station locations which are only 30 miles apart.  Unpredictable.

*Data from the Iowa State Soil Moisture Network
 

	Ocheyedan		Doon
	Apr-Nov		Apr- Nov
	Precip "	vs 6 yr avg	Precip "	vs 6 yr avg
2015	26	92%	30	112%
2016	35	124%	19	71%
2017	23	81%	23	86%
2018	38	134%	38	142%
2019	32	113%	35	131%
2020	16	57%	16	60%
Range		57%-134%		60%-142%
Avg	28.3		26.8

Temperatures and planting date variations led us to have corn mature in August this year compared to some corn that did not get fully mature last year before the end of the growing season. Complete opposites in consecutive years—again, unpredictable!

We cannot predict what type of season is coming next year, we must plan for something near average and adjust in-season as best we can. The temptation going into 2020 was to jump to earlier hybrids since we did not get many acres finished last year. This year in general, the later maturity of the hybrid the better it performed. Overreacting to 2019 conditions would have been a poor decision.

Keep your “eye on the ball” and you will reduce risk. Make sound agronomic decisions NOT based on emotion or last year’s bias.

Let your CFE agronomist help you plan for success.