MONROE - Green County Agriculture Extension Agent Mark Mayer said he'd not be surprised if Wisconsin saw corn prices go down to $4 or $5 per bushel as they were just two or three years ago.
Other crop prices are tittering on the edge of last year's increases, but some are down from earlier this year, too.
Looking out at the 2013 corn harvest, "the hot fair week was a concern," Mayer said.
That was the week of July 15, and a lot of corn went into pollination. The heat and lack of rain was "not ideal," he added.
But late-planted corn may have escaped the searing degrees and were rewarded with cooler weather and rains. Corn needs about one-third inch of rain per day during pollination, Mayer said.
Mayer estimates the corn yields will be about 165 bushels per acre, at or above the 4-5 year average, but "not 2012," he quickly added.
Wisconsin corn prices did drop slightly in July, as expected, to $6.75 per bushel in mid-July, down nine cents from June but up 11 cents from last July, according to a July 31 report from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Nationally, corn prices averaged $6.83 per bushel in mid-July.
Last year, with the drought upon them, U.S. farmers saw July corn prices pop up 80 cents from the previous three months to $7.14 per bushel. Corn prices in the U.S. were in the range of $3 to $4 in 2009 and 2010.
Wisconsin prices for alfalfa hay, other hay and milk were also expected to decline from June, but soybeans were expected to increase for the same period, the NASS reported.
Soybeans are at or ahead of their normal growth stages, probably not hurt as much as the corn by the mid-July heat. Their pod-setting period takes about 30-35 days, Mayer said.
The average price for soybeans in Wisconsin was $15.10 per bushel in mid-July, 20 cents above the June price and 30 cents higher than the price in July 2012. Across the U.S., soybeans sold for an average price of $15.40 per bushel in mid-July.
Winter wheat is harvested and averaged well at 70-80 bushels of grain per acre. However, the stems were short and the straw yield, lower. Last year, even wheat straw was in high demand, as livestock producers looked for ways to extend their feed. Straw is also used for animal bedding.
Winter wheat in the U.S was selling at about $6.86 in July this year, almost a dollar lower than last July when it was $7.76 per bushel. State prices were not yet available from the NASS.
Alfalfa around the county has seen its second cutting. The late July rains came in time to help it also, but the third cutting will yield less, Mayer added.
Alfalfa hay in Wisconsin sold for an average price of $195 per ton in mid-July, down $80 from June but still $60 above the price in July 2012.
The average price for other hay types in Wisconsin was $155 per ton in mid-July, $60 below June's price but $60 higher than in July of last year.
July milk was also down from June, from $19.90 to $19.50 per hundredweight in Wisconsin. Nationally milk was at $19.10. A year ago, milk prices per hundredweight were at $17.80 in Wisconsin and at $16.90 in the U.S.
Other crop prices are tittering on the edge of last year's increases, but some are down from earlier this year, too.
Looking out at the 2013 corn harvest, "the hot fair week was a concern," Mayer said.
That was the week of July 15, and a lot of corn went into pollination. The heat and lack of rain was "not ideal," he added.
But late-planted corn may have escaped the searing degrees and were rewarded with cooler weather and rains. Corn needs about one-third inch of rain per day during pollination, Mayer said.
Mayer estimates the corn yields will be about 165 bushels per acre, at or above the 4-5 year average, but "not 2012," he quickly added.
Wisconsin corn prices did drop slightly in July, as expected, to $6.75 per bushel in mid-July, down nine cents from June but up 11 cents from last July, according to a July 31 report from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Nationally, corn prices averaged $6.83 per bushel in mid-July.
Last year, with the drought upon them, U.S. farmers saw July corn prices pop up 80 cents from the previous three months to $7.14 per bushel. Corn prices in the U.S. were in the range of $3 to $4 in 2009 and 2010.
Wisconsin prices for alfalfa hay, other hay and milk were also expected to decline from June, but soybeans were expected to increase for the same period, the NASS reported.
Soybeans are at or ahead of their normal growth stages, probably not hurt as much as the corn by the mid-July heat. Their pod-setting period takes about 30-35 days, Mayer said.
The average price for soybeans in Wisconsin was $15.10 per bushel in mid-July, 20 cents above the June price and 30 cents higher than the price in July 2012. Across the U.S., soybeans sold for an average price of $15.40 per bushel in mid-July.
Winter wheat is harvested and averaged well at 70-80 bushels of grain per acre. However, the stems were short and the straw yield, lower. Last year, even wheat straw was in high demand, as livestock producers looked for ways to extend their feed. Straw is also used for animal bedding.
Winter wheat in the U.S was selling at about $6.86 in July this year, almost a dollar lower than last July when it was $7.76 per bushel. State prices were not yet available from the NASS.
Alfalfa around the county has seen its second cutting. The late July rains came in time to help it also, but the third cutting will yield less, Mayer added.
Alfalfa hay in Wisconsin sold for an average price of $195 per ton in mid-July, down $80 from June but still $60 above the price in July 2012.
The average price for other hay types in Wisconsin was $155 per ton in mid-July, $60 below June's price but $60 higher than in July of last year.
July milk was also down from June, from $19.90 to $19.50 per hundredweight in Wisconsin. Nationally milk was at $19.10. A year ago, milk prices per hundredweight were at $17.80 in Wisconsin and at $16.90 in the U.S.