An unsettled economy, in combination with other factors, have more than doubled the amount of money at risk for U.S. farmers, a University of Illinois agricultural economist says.

Besides looking at new traits, plant breeders are paying close attention to each new corn hybrid’s reaction to various production practices. These include a hybrid’s performance with post-emergence herbicides, foliar fungicides, different seeding rates, various planting dates, continuous corn and nitrogen usage.

I hope you were able to attend the National No-Tillage Conference and pick up a lot of new ideas for your farm. The trick is to pick out the high-quality ideas that will work in your system.

Corn cobs and fiber, along with stover, are likely to remain the main focus for cellulosic ethanol research and deployment in the Midwest over the next few years, according to the National Corn Growers Association. Cellulosic ethanol is made from the woody parts of plants, rather than the more easily refined grain. Cellulosic studies are now moving from basic research to applications, the NCGA notes.