A Tip of the Hat

While I've heard of some farmers that are still harvesting corn (photos from a Nothern Illinois farmer taken last week) most around my area have finished and are looking towards the upcoming planting season.  But nationwide there are still thousands of acres of corn that are still standing.

Beneath all that gloom and doom, there is a ray of sunshine.... the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this morning that corn farmers brought in a record amount of corn in 2009.  A record amount!  This is despite a harvest season that left thousands of acres of corn around the country still unharvested. USDA estimated a crop of 13.2 billion bushels, with a record yield of 165.2 bushels per acre.

What's even more astonishing is that U.S. corn growers produced this record crop utilizing fewer acres. In 2009, USDA estimates 86.6 million acres were used for corn production, compared with the 93.5 million acres used to produce the previous record crop in 2007.

How is this possible, you ask?  As NCGA President Darrin Ihnen said "Even in difficult conditions, our growers combine the most modern technology available with a strong and determined work ethic to produce a crop that meets all needs for food, feed, fuel and fiber. What remains to be seen is the full impact of the millions of bushels that farmers could not yet harvest.”

My hat is off to all the farmers out there who put in long hours to get their crops out of the field.  I thank you and appreciate your efforts!