MONROE - Good weather and harvesting conditions helped push Green County's corn production for 2010 slightly higher than the county's five-year average of 160 bushels an acre, said Mark Mayer, Green County ag agent.
"We had high yields, the prices were good and we had good quality corn," Mayer said. "I think it was the best year I've seen in 25 years."
A dry October enabled farmers to harvest their corn and put it in storage without drying it - something that couldn't be done last year.
"Mother Nature dried the corn for them," Mayer said. "I guess it was kind of a pay back for last year."
Last year, farmers averaged 178 bushels of corn an acre, which was the highest average yield in the state. The corn was wetter than normal because of the high amount of rain, however. That meant farmers had to spend up to 50 cents per bushel to dry the corn - and because they spent more to dry corn, farmers made less profit.
Lafayette County farmers also saw higher yields in 2010, said Brad Lancaster of the Lafayette County Farm Service Agency.
"They were able to get the corn planted earlier, it matured earlier and everything was dry," he said. "This year was a lot better than last year."
The price for corn has also been good for farmers, Mayer said.
Corn sold for about $5 a bushel Tuesday.
Organic corn producers - farmers who don't use herbicides or pesticides on their corn fields - also saw a higher than average amount of corn per acre, said Harriet Behar of the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service, which is based in Spring Valley. One Green County corn producer even reported 100 bushels of corn per acre.
Behar said organic corn farming has become more popular and bushels per acre can be as high as conventional corn production. It usually takes three to five years to produce the same amount of corn per acre as the conventional method, she added.
Organic corn also sells at a higher price per bushel than conventional varieties. She said a bushel of organic corn sells for about $6.50 per bushel.
While one crop season has been completed, another has already began and farmers have already started to look to next year.
Farmers in Green County planted winter wheat between September and October. Winter wheat is planted in the fall and harvested in mid-July.
Winter wheat prices were at $5.80 per bushel Tuesday.
"It costs less to plant winter wheat and the price for it makes it pretty attractive for farmers," Mayer said.
Farmers have also started tilling the soil to be ready for spring, Mayer said.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 59 percent of fall tillage has been completed. That amount of acreage tilled is 19 percent higher than the five-year average, the USDA reported.
Mayer said tilling the soil in the fall helps the ground dry out sooner in the spring. He said tilling soil in the fall can help farmers in the spring.
"The more you can get done in the fall, the less you have to do in the spring," he said.
"We had high yields, the prices were good and we had good quality corn," Mayer said. "I think it was the best year I've seen in 25 years."
A dry October enabled farmers to harvest their corn and put it in storage without drying it - something that couldn't be done last year.
"Mother Nature dried the corn for them," Mayer said. "I guess it was kind of a pay back for last year."
Last year, farmers averaged 178 bushels of corn an acre, which was the highest average yield in the state. The corn was wetter than normal because of the high amount of rain, however. That meant farmers had to spend up to 50 cents per bushel to dry the corn - and because they spent more to dry corn, farmers made less profit.
Lafayette County farmers also saw higher yields in 2010, said Brad Lancaster of the Lafayette County Farm Service Agency.
"They were able to get the corn planted earlier, it matured earlier and everything was dry," he said. "This year was a lot better than last year."
The price for corn has also been good for farmers, Mayer said.
Corn sold for about $5 a bushel Tuesday.
Organic corn producers - farmers who don't use herbicides or pesticides on their corn fields - also saw a higher than average amount of corn per acre, said Harriet Behar of the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service, which is based in Spring Valley. One Green County corn producer even reported 100 bushels of corn per acre.
Behar said organic corn farming has become more popular and bushels per acre can be as high as conventional corn production. It usually takes three to five years to produce the same amount of corn per acre as the conventional method, she added.
Organic corn also sells at a higher price per bushel than conventional varieties. She said a bushel of organic corn sells for about $6.50 per bushel.
While one crop season has been completed, another has already began and farmers have already started to look to next year.
Farmers in Green County planted winter wheat between September and October. Winter wheat is planted in the fall and harvested in mid-July.
Winter wheat prices were at $5.80 per bushel Tuesday.
"It costs less to plant winter wheat and the price for it makes it pretty attractive for farmers," Mayer said.
Farmers have also started tilling the soil to be ready for spring, Mayer said.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 59 percent of fall tillage has been completed. That amount of acreage tilled is 19 percent higher than the five-year average, the USDA reported.
Mayer said tilling the soil in the fall helps the ground dry out sooner in the spring. He said tilling soil in the fall can help farmers in the spring.
"The more you can get done in the fall, the less you have to do in the spring," he said.