Home

Corn Harvest Quality Report 2013/2014

Contents

  1. Harvest Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. Crop and Weather Conditions
  9. Planting and Early Growth Conditions - Spring (March - May)
  10. Pollination and Grain Fill Conditions - Summer (June - August)
  11. Harvest Conditions (September - October +)
  12. Comparison of the 2015 Average to the 2014, 2013, and 4YA
  13. Corn Production, Usage, and Outlook
  14. U.S. Corn Use and Ending Stocks
  15. Outlook
  16. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  17. Survey Design and Sampling
  18. Statistical Analysis
  19. Testing Analysis Methods
  20. Corn Grading Factors
  21. Moisture
  22. Chemical Composition
  23. Physical Factors
  24. Mycotoxin Testing
Download report

IV. CROP AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

HIGHLIGHTS Weather plays a large role in the corn planting process, growing conditions, and grain development, which, in turn, impacts final grain yield and quality. Overall, 2013 was a delayed growing year in the U.S. Corn Belt, with much of the area experiencing a cool, wet spring, then drought stress and cool conditions in summer, and cool, wet weather for harvest. The following highlights the key events of the 2013 growing season:

  • Record flooding and cool weather delayed planting and crop growth in areas of 10 of the 12 states studied, but helped alleviate the majority of the long-term drought areas of 2012.
  • An intense, short-term drought occurred in the summer for most of the Gulf and Pacific Northwest growing regions, but the severity was offset by cool temperatures and plentiful groundwater from spring rains.
  • The delayed planting and cool summer delayed grain maturation, then rains and early snows prevented timely harvests in many Gulf and Pacific Northwest fields.
  • Overall, the good pollination weather, combined with abundant groundwater and cool summer temperatures, led to a record total U.S. corn production in 2013.

The following sections describe how the 2013 growing season weather impacted the corn yield and quality in the U.S. Corn Belt.