Logan Ag News 1

Logan Ag News August 2016

L O C A T I O N S

* Griggsville, IL 217-833-2375; 1-800-LOGAN AG

* Pitsburg, OH 937-692-5181 (JACK BAKER)

* Paris, MO 573-406-8579 (DEAN) 217-491-1787 (HEIDI)

217-617-3450 (MEGAN)

www.LOGANAG.com

Monitoring Corn Silage Moisture Pre-Harvest Heidi Martin, Sales Agronomist – Paris, MO Harvesting silage for storage too wet can result in souring, reduced yield, and increased waste at feeding. Harvesting too dry reduces yield, increases risk for mold, and lowers digestibility proteins and vitamins A and E. Corn silage harvest typically takes place 42-47 days after silking (50% kernel milk). Ideal moisture content varies between storage structures – horizontal bunker (65%-70%); silage bags (60%-70%); upright concrete stave silo (60%-65%); upright oxygen limiting silo (50%-60%). Sampling Plants To Measure Moisture 1. Cut 3-5 whole plants at chopping height in a row in

a well-represented area of the field (not on border). 2. Place plants in a plastic bag. 3. Chop as soon as possible. 4. Measure moisture following the procedure outlined

below. Measuring Moisture Using A Microwave 1. Weigh an empty paper plate in grams. 2. Spread 100 grams of chopped silage on the paper

plate. 3. Weigh the paper plate and wet silage before placing

in the microwave. 4. Put a ¾ full glass of water in the back corner of the

microwave to prevent damage to the microwave. 5. Microwave the plate of wet silage at 80% to 90%

power for 5 minutes. 6. Weigh silage (plate and silage sample together),

microwave an additional 30 seconds, and re-weigh the sample. Repeat drying in 30-second intervals,

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Crude Oil Prices Drop Along With Grains Along with a steep drop in corn and soybean prices, the month of July saw crude oil drop more than $8 per barrel. Front-month diesel fuel contracts fell more than 25ȼ per gallon during July, while gasoline contracts declined 22ȼ per gallon. U.S. crude oil production rose three consecutive weeks, and is now at more than 8.5 million barrels per day. Peak U.S. crude oil production occurred in June 2015 at 9.61 million barrels per day. The recent production increase combined with a corresponding increase in crude oil and refined products (diesel fuel and gasoline) inventory levels points to a bearish market short term. Propane prices have also fallen steadily over the past few weeks. Is it time to contract fall diesel fuel volumes required for harvest and tillage? Most petroleum analysts advise patience, preferring instead to allow crude oil to find its bottom. Fall harvest strip contracts (September – December) dropped more than 22ȼ per gallon since early July. As a result of the soybean price decline, biodiesel prices have also dropped. Missouri customers may want to consider the use of biodiesel blends this fall as current biofuel prices are now below #2 diesel fuel prices. Logan Ag Plans Expansion Logan Ag recently announced plans to add a satellite anhydrous ammonia facility in Scott County, IL. continued on page 2

Approximately 50% kernel milk

Corn silage harvest moisture level critical for maximum feed benefit

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continued from page 1 Company president Edward Logan states, “Logan Ag continues to demonstrate its commitment to agriculture through various expansion projects. This facility, located west of Winchester near the junction of IL Route 106 and IL Route 100, will enable our company to improve its level of service to existing customers in Scott, Morgan, and Greene counties, as well as provide us the ability to serve additional clients in the tri-county area.” Logan Ag will add a dedicated fleet of ammonia nurse wagons including the popular twin 1450-gallon units, as well as some rental tool bars at the Scott County facility. Work is expected to begin soon, and the company plans to have the site fully operational following the 2016 harvest season. The creation of several employment opportunities is anticipated. Plot Tour Scheduled An extensive plot tour at the Logan farm south of Griggsville near the I-72 interchange is scheduled for Thursday, August 18. Corn hybrids from AgriGold and Lewis Hybrids are showcased in the field. Plan to meet at the Logan Ag fertilizer plant in Griggsville (seed building on east side of site) at 5:30 PM on the 18th for transportation to the plot site. Seed representatives will discuss specific hybrids to consider for 2017 planting in the field. Upon return from the field, enjoy supper and conversation with your friends and fellow producers while listening to information from speakers on various agricultural topics. Specials on 2017 seed purchases will be offered to attendees. Join the Logan Ag team for an informative evening! Lower Grain Prices Expected To Reduce Cash Rent Low commodity prices, as well as an expected drop in Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) payments will pressure cash rent rates in 2017 according to Iowa State University Extension farm management specialist Kelvin Leibold. 2016 cash rent rates are some 5%-10% lower than 2015. The decrease in 2017 may be larger. Before agreeing to reduced cash rent payments, landowners want to know when ag inputs will decline according to Leibold. While fertilizer and petroleum prices have dropped significantly over the past 12 months, only glyphosate price is anticipated to drop among herbicides in 2017. Increased use of generic herbicides will keep increases among major crop protection chemical manufacturers in check. Corn and soybean seed prices will likely mirror 2016 levels, but expect more rebate programs (tie-ins for seed and chemical purchases) available from companies such as Monsanto, Bayer and DuPont that provide both crop protection chemicals and seed products.

DowDuPont Merger Gains Shareholder Approval Shareholders of DuPont and The Dow Chemical Co. overwhelmingly approved the merger proposal in July. The companies anticipate closing the deal later this year, subject to regulatory approval. When completed, three independent companies will be formed – Agricultural business, Material Sciences business, and Specialty Products business. It appears Dow and DuPont plan separate operations for 2017 as evidenced by announcement of independent early order retail crop protection chemical programs and seed programs. Neither Dow nor DuPont reps have been advised of collaboration. Consumers Don’t Know & Don’t Care About Ethanol A poll of over 2500 U.S. drivers including more than 1500 drivers who said they commute to work conducted by Reuters/Ipsos in early July indicated more than 50% were unfamiliar with ethanol blended gasoline. A similar portion of those surveyed said they pay little or no attention to whether the gasoline they purchase contains ethanol. This is alarming considering the millions of dollars spent by corn farmers attempting to boost ethanol usage and oil lobbies trying to defend petroleum-only fuels. Nearly all motor fuel sold in the U.S. contains 10% ethanol, but motorists are essentially unaware of fuels such as E15 and E85 with higher ethanol content. Logan Ag 24/7 locations in Griggsville and Milton previously offered E85 with limited sales success. After converting to E15 several years ago, sales of the higher ethanol grade increased marginally but still comprise well below 10% of total gas sales despite lower pump prices. Palmer Amaranth Moving Into Northern States Known as “waterhemp on steroids”, Palmer amaranth is marching northward. Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio fields are now host to this weed which can devastate yields in soybeans due to its prolific growth pattern. Distinction of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp is difficult in early vegetative stages. While a whitish watermark is generally apparent at the base of the amaranth leaf, the most distinguishing characteristic is the length of the petiole as shown above. The Palmer

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continued from page 1 stirring between intervals, until the weight stays the same. Do not let the glass of water completely evaporate. To obtain the actual weight of the forage sample, subtract the plate weight from the wet silage + plate weight, and the plate weight from the dry silage + plate weight. Percent Moisture = (wet silage weight w/o plate weight) – (dry silage weight w/o plate weight) ÷ wet silage weight w/o plate weight x 100. Example Plate Weight: 20 grams Wet Silage Weight + Plate Weight: 120 grams Actual Wet Silage Weight w/o Plate: 100 grams Dry Silage Weight + Plate Weight: 45 grams Actual Dry Silage Weight w/o Plate: 25 grams PERCENT MOISTURE = (100 grams – 25 grams) ÷ 100 grams x 100 = 75% moisture. Sudden Death Syndrome Hits Bean Fields Reports of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) have surfaced recently. SDS symptoms on top leaves in the plant normally appear in late July/early August. SDS often occurs when beans are planted into cool and damp soils. Leaf mottling typically occurs first in tighter soils such as turn rows that are often wetter due to compaction before progressing into other areas of the field. Leaf tissue between the veins turns yellow as shown in the picture above before turning brown. Leaflets die and shrivel, and sometimes drop from the petiole. First discovered in Arkansas in 1971, Sudden Death Syndrome has spread throughout the north central soybean growing region of the U.S. Growers now identify the disease regularly, especially as soybean planting occurs earlier each year. The causal agent is a fungus which overwinters in crop residue, in the soil, or in the cysts of soybean cyst nematode. Infection of soybean roots may occur within one week of planting, and remain undetectable above ground until initiation of flowering. Once SDS is identified in the field, fungicide treatments are generally ineffective. Some fungicides are labeled if application occurs before flowering stages (reproductive growth stage). A Logan Ag associate in Warren County, Illinois is experimenting with a labeled fungicide applied post-flower, and will assess the results. Seed-applied treatments such as ILeVO are very effective in controlling SDS. Logan Ag recommends utilizing soybean varieties with higher SDS resistance ratings in combination with proven seed-applied treatments to manage the disease in coming years.

continued from page 2 petiole is at least as long as the leaf, whereas the waterhemp petiole roughly one-half the length of the leaf. In the reproductive stages, bracts on the female plant extend beyond the other flower parts and give the seedhead a “spike” that is painful to touch. Key to Palmer amaranth control is early identification and eradication. Stay tuned for control measures using existing and/or new soybean trait platforms. Final Comments Edward Logan, Logan Ag President Congratulations to my daughter and son-in-law, Dani and Josh Davis, on the birth of their son, Fitzgerald Knox Davis. Fitz was born July 29, and is welcomed by his older brother, Fletcher (age 4). Our customers have gained considerable insight into corn hybrids, fertility programs, new seed technology, and other items over the years at our plot tours. I encourage you to attend this year’s event in Griggsville on August 18. We also have some interesting plots in the Paris, MO region. Please contact Dean, Heidi, or Megan at the warehouse for hybrid information and/or a visit to the Missouri plot. Our satellite anhydrous ammonia site in Scott County, Illinois has been in the works for some time. Beyond negotiating a workable property lease, Sales Manager Kent Mullinix searched for a suitable 30,000 gallon storage tank and worked with design engineers to develop a strategy to secure the tank to its piers in the Illinois River floodplain. We plan to acquire as many as 16 nurse wagons – many with twin 1450-gallon tanks, as well as some rental tool bars for customer use. We anticipate the site’s location will enable Logan Ag to expand its business eastward into Scott, Morgan, and Greene County, as well as serve some accounts west of Florence. Additionally, we will prospect business north towards Bluffs that previously was outside our reach due to the distance from our existing tanks in Griggsville and Perry. It’s easy to get mobile updates on your cell phone from Logan Ag! Just text Logan to 91217. These periodic updates include information pertinent to your farming operation, ranging from insect/disease outbreaks to weed control options to product specials. Soybean fields everywhere are getting weedy. July rains enabled weed seeds near the soil surface to germinate and grow through the canopy as most residual herbicides had lost their effectiveness. We typically advise against late-season herbicide applications as most beans are now in the R3 growth stage (early pod) or later. If these late emerging weeds become sufficiently troublesome to interfere with harvest, we have had success previously with pre-harvest application of paraquat as a desiccant. Your crop specialist can provide information and advice.