Guidelines for Adjusting Corn Maturities
May 16, 2014
MAY 16 2014 UPDATE
Rainfall totals from last night (western NY), today (central NY), and tonight (eastern NY) will keep most growers out of the field for 3-7 days, depending upon soil texture and timing of the next precipitation event. The NASS data indicated that 8% of NY corn was planted by 5/11, last Sunday. Probably another 15-20% was planted this week so we probably have close to 25% of the corn planted, hopefully all to full-season hybrids.
Now is probably the time to consider switching to shorter season hybrids for grain?..silage or high moisture corn can probably wait until May 25th or so. Grain growers should probably back off by 5 days in hybrid maturity, if they can get in later next week-May 22-25. If planting is delayed until early June, grain growers should consider backing off another 5 days or 10 days shorter than normal or consider switching corn acres to soybean acres if it is early June. This is especially true for no-till corn on corn ground (slower early-season growth translates into higher grain moisture at harvest if there is lots of corn residue?.if it is soybean residue not really an issue), fields that receive the first frost in the fall, or high elevation fields that mature slowly. As last year?s data shows, there was really no yield hit to staying with long-season hybrids right up until June but either harvest has to be delayed by 2-3 weeks or grain moisture will be much higher (see attached WCU article).
But again, anything can happen. In 2011, we had an exceedingly wet May allowing only for 24% of the corn to be planted in NY by 5/22 and 43% by 5/29. But then conditions turned exceedingly dry from mid-June through July before the drought was relieved in August. And guess what, the long-season corn planted in late May or early June yielded by far the best because it didn?t silk until the first week of August when drought was relieved.
So, it has been a tough spring so far but the season is not over (I keep telling myself the same thing when I read about yet another Red Sox loss?.no comment on the devastating Game 7 loss by the Bruins to the much-hated Canadians!). The long-term forecast has normal rainfall and normal temperature starting next week and for the following 10 days. Likewise, the worthless 3-month long-term forecast for June-August has pretty much normal conditions. Hope springs eternal!
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Upcoming Events
Tioga County Pasture Walk
July 24, 2025
Owego, NY
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga County, CCE South Central Dairy and Field Crops Team, and Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District for a pasture walk!
This year, we will be visiting an organic dairy farm.
Cortland County Pasture Walk
July 28, 2025
Cortland, NY
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County, CCE South Central Dairy and Field Crops Team, and NE NatGLC for a twilight pasture walk at Ironwood Grazing Co with Mike Quinlin!
Farmer Mike will highlight his efforts at custom grazing cow/calf pairs and utilizing the herds grazing effect to improve land. You'll get to see mob grazing techniques to control knapweed and goldenrod, witness clipping versus grazing comparisons, see pasture residual and recovery rates, judge soil health & animal performance metrics and learn what tools (grazing chart, pasture infrastructure and resources) are being used on the farm. Throw in some impromptu demos, manure quality vetting, personal experiences from guests and ice-cream, and you have a meeting not to be missed.
Topics: Renovating pasture, leasing ground & custom grazing animals
Free to register; Registration optional, but encouraged!
Tompkins County Pasture Walk
August 14, 2025
Ithaca, NY
Topics:
- Watering systems & composting pad, Soil & Water Conservation District
- Grazing small ruminants, Jess Waltemyer, Cornell PRO-LIVESTOCK
Free to register; Registration optional, but encouraged!
Announcements
USDA Contract Freezes and Terminations: Legal Action Steps for Farmers
For Farmers with Signed EQIP and CSP ContractsThis resource is written for farmers and ranchers nationwide who have a signed contract with USDA NRCS under the EQIP or CSP program for environmental improvements but have concerns that their contract is frozen, under review, or terminated, and who are uncertain of their rights to receive reimbursement as well as their ongoing obligations under the signed contract.
Version: 1.0
Issue date: Feb 28, 2025
A downloadable factsheet is available at our BUSINESS tab on the top of our webpage.
Additional Information: www.farmcommons.org
USDA Contract Freezes: Filing an NAD Appeal or Demand Letter
This resource is written for farmers and ranchers nationwide who have a signed contract with USDA NRCS under the EQIP or CSP program for environmental improvements and want more information on the mechanics of filing a National Appeals Division (NAD) appeal. This resource includes sample letters.
USDA NAD Appeal https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-hearings-and-appeals/national-appeals-division/nad-appeals
A downloadable factsheet is available at our BUSINESS heading at the top of our webpage.
Farm Participants Needed for Bale Grazing Grant!
Information on the Project:- Approximately 10 acres total needed to bale graze two different bale densities
- "Core" farms will graze two winters, "Demo" farms will graze one winter.
- Payments for both "Core" farms and "Demo" farms
- Baseline soil sampling by bale grazing team
- Forage measurements in early season by bale grazing team
- Late season clipping if residual not trampled down by farm
Interested farms can enroll for this winter or next.
Looking for 2-3 dairy farms to enroll! If interested, please reach out to Betsy Hicks, 607.391.2673 or bjh246@cornell.edu
Cornell Cow Convos - New Podcast
On-going podcast, New episodes released on the last Thursday of the month.Guest speakers, CCE Dairy Specialists.
Housed on Soundcloud Channel is CCE Dairy Educators
Topics:
- Preventative healthcare for cows
- The trend of beef on dairy
- What to look forward to in the new year for dairy
- Socially grouping or pair-housing calves
2018 Drug Residue Prevention Manual
For more than 30 years, the U.S. dairy industry has focused educational efforts on the judicious use of antibiotics through the annual publication of a Best Practices Manual. The 2018 edition of the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management? Milk and Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual is the primary educational tool for dairy farm managers throughout the country on the judicious and responsible use of antibiotics, including avoidance of drug residues in milk and meat.The manual is a quick resource to review those antibiotics approved for dairy animals and can also be used as an educational tool and resource for farm managers as they develop on-farm best management practices necessary to avoid milk and meat residues. Visit the Manual and Form Library to download copies of this important tool!
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NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program
NYSERDA offers energy audits to help eligible farms and on-farm producers identify ways to save energy and money on utility bills. Reports include recommendations for energy efficiency measures.Eligibility
Eligible farms include but are not limited to dairies, orchards, greenhouses, vegetables, vineyards, grain dryers, and poultry/egg. The farms must also be customers of New York State investor-owned utilities and contribute to the System Benefits Charge (SBC). Please check your farm’s current utility bills to see if your farm pays the SBC.
Energy Audit Options
You can request the level of energy audit that best fits your farm’s needs. NYSERDA will assign a Flexible Technical Assistance Program Consultant to visit your farm and perform an energy audit at no cost to you.
For more information and the NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program Application click here
For more information and the NYSERDA Agriculture Energy Audit Program Application click here