Is 500-bushel corn really attainable? Those involved with the new Illinois-based company 360 Yield Center think so, through better identification and management of limiting factors in the field.

Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Association 2013 National Corn Yield Contest. Entrants continued to far surpass the national average corn yield, setting a contest record with a new all-time high yield of 454 bushels per acre.

As summer has begun to heat up across the U.S. this week, it made me think of a really interesting question I heard at the National No-Tillage Conference several months ago.

The forecast U.S. corn yield is reduced 22.6 bushels per acre to 123.4 bushels as extreme heat and dryness continued, and in many areas worsened, during July across the Plains and Corn Belt.

Before examining the implications of the report, it is important to understand some of the basic methodology for making the stocks estimate.

Corn production is estimated at 12.4 billion bushels, and soybean production totaled 3.33 billion bushels, according to the USDA.

U.S. corn supplies later this year will be about 6.5 percent smaller than previously forecast amid strong export and ethanol demand and a disappointing harvest last year, analysts say.

Many farmers insist on tilling in the fall, despite evidence it could do more harm than good, according to an Iowa State University soil management expert.