~ Press release provided by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
YALE, Oct. 29 —Virginia’s corn harvest is finishing stronger than expected despite a spring and early-summer drought.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Virginia’s corn growers are expected to harvest an average of 167 bushels per acre. That’s an encouraging reversal for a crop that experienced significant moisture stress during planting and growing seasons.
“Overall, I would say my corn yielded better than I expected it to,” said Keith Dunn, a fifth-generation farmer who grows corn, peanuts and soybeans in Sussex County.
Although one of his farms “didn’t yield very well” due to exceptionally dry conditions—less than 120 bushels per acre—his other farms ranged 175 to 200 bushels an acre, something he considers “a really good year.”
“I was very concerned with the corn back when we were having the drought in June—I’d all but given up on the crop,” he added. “The corn looked really bad during the heat of the day, and I didn’t expect it to turn around the way it did.”
Much of the state was under severe-to-extreme drought conditions during the spring and early summer growing season, prompting drought disaster designations. But relief came when “the Lord blessed us with rains when we absolutely had to have them,” Dunn said.
That, combined with a well-timed “top dressing”—an extra application of fertilizer and nitrogen—boosted growth. Additionally, many modern corn varieties are bred to withstand drought conditions, giving crops a better chance of surviving and helping farmers manage risk.
“My dad made the comment that 50 years ago, or even 30 years ago, if corn hit drought stress and was hurt the way it was this year, it never would have turned around like it did,” Dunn noted.
Although many farmers are experiencing bigger yields than expected, that doesn’t always translate into more profits. Corn futures dropped by 15% from $5.50 to $4.70 as reports pointed to larger-than-expected grain stocks and a bigger U.S. crop. Combined with higher input, production and diesel costs, the lower prices could limit the financial benefit of a strong harvest.
In Caroline County, John Broaddus is harvesting his last 40 acres of the 650 acres of corn he planted this year. Like Dunn, he had little hope for this year’s harvest when he was forced to delay his regular production schedule.
“We had to stop planting for two weeks because the ground was too dry,” said Broaddus, who planted 650 acres of corn this year. “I figured we’d be lucky to get 100 bushels to the acre.”
Instead, he’s facing the opposite problem. Harvesting over 180 bushels per acre of “very good corn,” he’s had to get creative with storage.
“We’ve got room for 60,000 bushels in our (grain) bin, but we’re having to put some in a bin that was reserved for soybeans just so we can keep picking,” he said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
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