Hello, CALS,
Classes are about to start, and the football season, too. The rains and the heat continue, the crops look good, and you be the judge on prices (see below and consider costs of about $900 per acre to grow corn and $700 per acre to grow soybeans).
For Iowa (source: Favorable weather might mean record corn, soybean yields):
- Corn: 2.875 billion bushels, compared to 2.627 billion in 2024; Average yield: RECORD 222 bushels per acre, compared to 211 a year ago; Planted area: 13.5 million acres, compared to 12.9 million last year; Harvested area: 12.95 million acres, compared to 12.45 million the previous year
- Soybeans: 587.79 million bushels, compared to 597.6 million in 2024; Average yield: RECORD 63 bushels per acre, compared to 60 a year ago; Planted area: 9.4 million acres, compared to 10.05 million last year; Harvested area: 9.33 million acres, compared to 9.96 million the previous year
- Corn PRICE Today
- Soybeans PRICE Today
The past 11 days have brought us the great Iowa State Fair – by all accounts, the best show in any town! See pictures below.
Last week, I had the great opportunity to attend the Summit at the Summit agricultural think-tank meeting in Colorado. It was a great recharge on truly important and challenging topics. This year, there was a special emphasis on the meaning and impact of The Make Our Children Healthy Again Report on agriculture, food and related matters. Also last week, Kendall Lamkey, our associate dean for facilities and operations, hosted the board members of the seven farm associations we have across the state for a tour of the CALS and Ames area farms and a facilitated discussion on the future of our farms. A terrific and important discussion.
This week, there are a host of departmental and college retreats, and I wish you all a final great last week of our academic summer! - Dan
Scenes from CALS
Friday at the great Iowa State Fair, a CALS group catching up with our stakeholders, partners, friends and alums!
