As of mid-September, harvest was just beginning in the Peoria area. Some corn was combined along with a few soybean fields. Yields should be respectable for the 2001 growing season. The late rains in August and the first part of September should give a much needed boost to soybean yields.
Although most of the corn crop is still standing, thoughts of last year’s strong winds can’t be forgotten. Just about one year ago, winds swept through Peoria County and virtually flattened several cornfields. It was a nightmare of a harvest for some producers. Farmers are reporting high corn borer numbers this year, which could lead to more downed corn. Corn borers live up to their name as they burrow into the corn stalk and feed, causing weakened stalk strength.
Other Ag issues include:
- September 16 to 22 was National Farm Health and Safety Week. This recognition is to make all of us more aware of the slow moving vehicles on the roads during harvest. Being on busy roads with large combines and wagons full of grain is not something farmers’ desire. It’s a necessity in the business of agriculture.
Be patient with slow moving farm equipment for the remainder of the harvest season. Look for the bright orange triangle and flashing amber lights as you travel rural roads. This marked equipment is traveling less than 20 miles per hour, and if you’re traveling 55 miles per hour, you’re approaching at an alarming rate. Stay alert and use extra precaution when passing.
- Increased usage of renewable fuels is an issue the Farm Bureau has been pushing for a long time, and will continue to work on. We basically have two primary grain commodities farmers grow in the Midwest—corn and soybeans. Both of these are the raw commodities for fuel energy. Corn is used to make ethanol, and soybeans are processed into biodiesel.
With the September 11 catastrophe, it really hits home we need to become more dependent on our own American grown and processed energy sources. We’ve had large grain surpluses the past several years, and we continue to be burdened with these large stockpiles.
We are heading in a positive direction concerning ethanol production and usage. There are many new ethanol plants either being planned or built across the Midwest. These new plants will be more efficient as we are now able to squeeze 2.7 gallons of ethanol per bushel of corn. Only a few years ago this number was 2.5 gallons. We will use 650 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol this year. That corn will produce close to 2 billion gallons of ethanol. Sound like a lot of fuel? It’s really not when you look at the total usage of fuel in the United States. Those 2 billion gallons of ethanol only account for 2 percent of gasoline usage in the United States.
Support America. Support our local economy. Fill your vehicle up with a fuel that keeps the air we breathe cleaner. As farmers, we hope American consumers such as yourself request and fill up with the 10 percent ethanol blend. IBI
