In a more "typical" year, Indiana's wheat crop wouldn't mature until mid-June in the southern part of the state, and harvest wouldn't wrap up until mid-July in the north, said Herb Ohm, Purdue University research agronomist.

The northwest Iowa fall survey of subsoil moisture completed by Iowa State University in November shows well below average amount of subsoil moisture.

Many farmers in western North Dakota turned to no till farming during dry years. No till farming is a way to plant crops without tilling the soil. That keeps the ground from drying out, saving much-needed moisture for the plants, and farmers are determined to stick with the practice, even during wet years.

The rate of field drydown of corn grain and the resulting grain moisture content at harvest obviously influences growers' cost of artificially drying the grain after harvest.

Can former CRP be successfully transitioned into good cropland without breaking up the ground?