Category: Corn

Maryland Regional Crop Reports: November 2025

Western Maryland

As the days get shorter and the evenings brisk, the harvest season is just about finished. Still, some late-planted corn and double-crop soybeans are standing, but they will soon fall to the combine. Wheat, barley, triticale, and other cover crops have enjoyed the recent showers, and carpets of green now cover once barren harvested fields. Once the final tally is made, I suspect we will have had an average year, whatever that is. We have seen some good yields, and we have seen fields where the only reason the combine traverses the field is for a crop insurance calculation. As with every year before, most will put another log on the fire, sip some coffee, and pray for a better year in 2026. Farmers are the most optimistic lot on earth. Enjoy the holidays with family and friends. We will see you next season.—Jeff Semler, Washington Co.

Central Maryland

Corn and soybean harvest is complete. Sorghum harvest is almost complete. Some cover crops and small grains have been planted. We have gotten some rain this past week (up to half an inch); however, most of the region is still in a moderate drought.—Kelly Nichols, Montgomery Co.

Northern Maryland

Harvest ‘25 is all but finished; only a few acres of corn and some double crop soybeans remain. Corn yields were very strong despite some fairly significant disease pressure. Some instances of plants falling apart and lodging, but overall it was a big crop and a smooth harvest. Full season soybeans did not fare as well, likely due to the very dry August; however, double crop beans are yielding very well as they received September rain. Cover crop and small grain establishment looks very good, setting us up for great yield potential going into 2026.—Andy Kness, Harford Co.

Upper & Mid Shore

Corn and soybean harvests are just about wrapped up across the region, and most growers are reporting good to excellent yields. Wheat and cover crops planted this fall are off to a solid start, with decent moisture helping them establish well. The rains should help them put on enough root mass to overwinter effectively. Overall, this season treated us much better than last year, and hopefully we keep moving in the right direction heading into next year. All we can do now is hope.—Dwayne Joseph, Kent Co.

Lower Eastern Shore

Grain harvest is finishing earlier than typical, largely due to the dry weather this fall. Corn is approximately 90% harvested, and soybean 70%. Corn and soybean yields are average to below average, likely due to the droughts over the summer. Cover crops have been planted and are coming up nicely. Wheat has also been planted and off to a good start.—Sarah Hirsh, Somerset Co.

Southern Maryland

Most corn is off and farmers are working on finishing double crop bean harvest. Cover crop is in and looks good. Here is a recap of the 2025 season here in Southern Maryland. The area finally received a cold winter with a number of days in the single digits in January of 2025. Spring arrived with very good initial planting conditions. Rains slowed planting progress as we moved into May. Some areas never dried out, making for late planted corn and beans. We ended up with a split planting season- some early planted crops and many late. Striped rust on wheat made an appearance in late May. The wheat crop came off fast this year with excellent yields and good quality, though prices limited profitability. The region experienced a string of high temperatures towards the end of June and into July that stressed crops. Fortunately, the heat came with rain showers in time for pollination. Both beans and corn looked good entering the dog days of summer in late July. However as often is the case, the rains stopped with minimal precipitation throughout August and the first weeks of September. We received rains again in time for the County fair, but unfortunately much damage had already been done. Corn fared better than beans with reported yield at or above average. Beans made a lot of pods but just didn’t have the water to fill out. Double crop beans may out yield full season beans this year. The region had a good hay and pasture growth this year, with many opportunities to make good quality hay. On the vegetable front, the year turned out decent. Tomatoes struggled the most with the heat and intermittent rains causing issues with fruit set and quality resulting and very limited tomato stock in July and August. Peppers, watermelons, sweet corn, and other crops fared better. The cooler fall resulted in good catch up yields on most vegetable crops. The region had a phenomenal pumpkin season with great yields and quality.—Ben Beale, St. Mary’s Co.

*Regions (counties):
Western: Garrett, Allegany, Washington. Central: Frederick, Montgomery, Howard. Northern: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll. Upper & Mid Shore: Cecil, Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne, Talbot. Lower Shore: Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico. Southern: St. Mary’s, Anne Arundel, Charles, Calvert, Prince George’s

November 2025 Grain Market Report

Dale Johnson, Farm Business Management Specialist | dmj@umd.edu
University of Maryland Extension

Corn

This month’s 2025/26 U.S. corn outlook is for increases in supply, exports, and ending stocks. Total supply is 144 million bushels higher as larger beginning stocks are partially offset by lower production. Beginning stocks are 207 million bushels higher based on the September 30 Grain Stocks report. Corn production is forecast at 16.8 billion bushels, down 62 million from September on a 0.7-bushel reduction in yield to 186.0 bushels per acre. Harvested area for grain is unchanged at 90.0 million acres. Total use is up 100 million bushels reflecting a higher export forecast. Exports are raised 100 million bushels to 3.1 billion reflecting shipments to date. Inspection data imply exports set a monthly record during September and again in October. With supply rising more than use, corn ending stocks are up 44 million bushels to 2.154 billion. The season-average corn price received by producers is raised 10 cents to $4.00 per bushel.

Soybeans

Soybean production is forecast at 4.3 billion bushels, down 48 million, on lower yields. The soybean yield is projected down 0.5 bushels to 53.0 bushels per acre. Soybean supplies are projected to be 61 million bushels lower than the September forecast, due to lower beginning stocks from the September 30 Grain Stocks report and reduced production. U.S. soybean exports are forecast at 1.64 billion bushels, down 50 million from the previous forecast due to lower supplies and higher exports by Brazil and Argentina. In September, Argentina temporarily reduced export taxes leading to an influx of export registrations during the peak U.S. export season. Further, since the last report, the U.S. entered a trade deal with China, which led to higher U.S. prices and narrowed the price spread between U.S. and other major exporters. While U.S. soybean exports are expected to rise to China for the rest of the marketing year, these higher shipments could be offset by reductions to other markets where the United States no longer holds a large price discount compared to other exporters. U.S. soybean crush is unchanged and ending stocks are forecast down marginally. The U.S. season average soybean price for 2025/26 is raised $0.50 to $10.50 per bushel.

Wheat

The outlook for 2025/26 U.S. wheat this month is for larger supplies and higher ending stocks, with no change to use. Supplies are raised on greater production, up 58 million bushels to 1,985 million, on a record all wheat yield based on the September 30 Small Grains Summary. The season-average farm price is lowered $0.10 per bushel to $5.00 as larger global supplies reduce price expectations for the remainder of the marketing year.

Investigating Short Stature Corn as a High-Quality Forage Alternative

Hannah Burchard | hburchar@umd.edu; Fabiana de Freitas Cardoso, Assistant Professor and Dairy Extension Specialist Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park | Cardosof@umd.edu
and Jeff Semler, Principal Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Washington County | jsemler@umd.edu

Whole plant corn silage (WPCS) is the most common forage used in diets for dairy cows worldwide with it typically making up 40-60% of the forage DM in the diet. Whole-plant corn silage normally has a relatively high energy content; however, energy availability depends on its quality. Short stature corn is a relatively new variety of corn that is speculated to have increased standability, be less of a lodging risk, and have potential for tighter seeding density. This study aimed to assess the physical properties of short stature corn, compared to conventional corn, at the time of harvest and evaluate the effects of organic acids on the nutritional quality and fermentation profile of the two corn varieties.

Research was conducted at the Center of Maryland Research and Education Center (Figure 1). Short stature (STC) and conventional corn (CC) plots were planted and harvested. Mini silos (1,000 g) were prepared at harvest using two corn types (STC, CC), two treatments (water control; CON vs. organic acids; ORG), and six storage times (0, 7, 15, 30, 60, 120 d), with five replicates (Figure 2). Both varieties were harvested at 32–35% DM. ORG treatment consisted of a commercial blend of propionic and acetic acid diluted in water; CON received water only. Silos were stored for designated durations and analyzed for particle size, fermentation end products, microbial counts, and nutrient composition.

Vacuum-sealed bags created to represent mini silos
Figure 2. Mini silos (1000g) packaged on day 0.

The Penn State Box method is an essential tool for evaluating the particle size of dairy rations, a critical factor in balancing rations to meet cows’ nutritional needs. The process begins by collecting a representative sample (TMR from the feed bunk or corn silage at harvest). The particle size distribution was similar for conventional and short stature corn, indicating short stature can provide similar fiber components as conventional corn. It is essential to maintain particle size distribution, as observed with short stature corn compared to conventional corn, as particle size influences ration formulation based on physically effective fiber. It ensures proper fermentation once chopped corn is packed into a silo.

Additionally, at harvest, the DM was 32% and 34% for conventional and short stature corn, respectively. For individual components, the distribution for conventional and short stature corn (respectively) was 15% and 14% on the 19mm sieves, 58% and 56% on the 8mm sieves, 15% and 17% on the 4mm sieves, and 13% for both in the pan (Figure 3).

Graph of forage particle size.
Figure 3. Penn State box results from analyzing freshly chopped short stature corn (500g) and conventional corn (500g).

For fermentation profile, total acids percent are greater for organic acid treated corn for both varieties as compared to water (control group) for both varieties (Figure 4). The greater percentage of total acids in the organic acid treated group is likely due to the application of the commercial blend. However, lactic acid was found to be in the greatest proportion compared to acetic acid, which is the desired result for promoting quality fermentation and protecting against yeasts and molds. Based on the fermentation profile and nutritional analysis, the composition of short-stature corn, along with the application of organic acids, lends to increased nutrition and fermentation quality of silage compared to conventional corn silage.

Graph of total acids in forage
Figure 4. Total Acids, % DM two-way interaction (P < 0.01) of variety x treatment for CC (conventional corn) and STC (short stature corn) with the addition of CON (water) and ORG (organic acids).

Animal Performance

Short stature corn silage will be included in the diet as the main forage to evaluate its effect on cow`s performance in future studies conducted by the Cardoso Lab at the University of Maryland, College Park. This will be the final component to help determine short stature corn’s potential as an effective, high-quality forage.

Benefit

If short stature corn is proven to be comparable with conventional corn, no new equipment is needed to start using the new variety. Management practices can be kept the same, lending to sustainability.

Acknowledgements

Special appreciation is extended to the University of Maryland, the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Maryland Extension, the Central Maryland Research and Education Center (CMREC) Dairy Farm, and the Washington County Extension Office for their support and assistance with this project.

2025 Corn Hybrid Trial Results

combine and tractor in corn field
Nicole Fiorellino, Extension Agronomist | nfiorell@umd.edu
University of Maryland, College Park

The 2025 corn hybrid trials results are available for download online at https://psla.umd.edu/extension/md-crops/ or click the button below. The fee-based performance trials are critical to provide Maryland farmers with unbiased yield performance data across the broad geographic diversity of Maryland. The relative yield tables in both of these reports are extremely valuable for farmers to select varieties that perform well across the state. The varieties with relative yield greater than 100, meaning above the average yield at that location, across all the test locations are highlighted in these tables and would be considered resilient varieties that are likely to yield well in different conditions. For more information on interpreting variety trials results, see the UMD Factsheet authored by Andy Kness and Nicole Fiorellino at this link https://go.umd.edu/interpretingtrials. We are grateful for the continued funding provided by Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board and Maryland Soybean Board for these variety trials.

Download Here

Tar Spot is Starting to Appear in Maryland

Andrew Kness, Senior Agriculture Agent | akness@umd.edu
University of Maryland Extension, Harford County

Tar spot has started to pop up in corn fields and we have received several reports from Harford, Cecil, Queen Anne’s, and Kent County, Maryland over the past couple of weeks. These reports are about one month earlier than we have first reported tar spot in years past, with the July 23 confirmation of tar spot in Cecil County being the earliest.

Fortunately, all reports and all of the fields I have scouted myself, tar spot is present but at very low levels. The predominant disease I am seeing right now remains gray leaf spot, which makes sense as this is a disease that prefers warmer temperatures and tar spot tends to favor cooler temperatures.

With tar spot being present in our region earlier than usual, growers should be vigilant with scouting and monitoring this disease. Most of the corn crop in Maryland is at or close to R3 or near even near black layer in southern Maryland, which is towards the tail end of major yield concerns associated with disease infection. Furthermore, acres treated with a fungicide between VT-R3 should have sufficient protection to get them through grain fill. If you have corn that is later tasseling you will want to pay special attention to these fields to monitor tar spot levels and other foliar diseases that could potentially reduce yields. These fields may warrant a fungicide pass if you were not planning it already.

As you are scouting your corn fields, be on the lookout for tar spot. With funding from the USDA-NIFA, we are conducting a survey of tar spot’s distribution in Maryland. If you have tar spot, or think you might, please report it to corn.ipmpipe.org or reach out to me at akness@umd.edu or (410) 638-3255. Reports are kept anonymous and individuals and/or farms are not identified in any public reports or publications.

Mid-Summer Insect Scouting Priorities in Row Crops

Hayden Schug, Agriculture Agent | hschug@umd.edu
University of Maryland Extension, Charles County

As we move into July and August, insect pressure tends to ramp up across Maryland row crops, particularly in soybeans and corn. These months are critical for monitoring pest activity and making timely, threshold-based decisions. Several pests are commonly active during this period, including corn earworm, stink bugs, Japanese beetles, other defoliators, and spider mites.

Corn earworm moths typically migrate into Maryland in larger numbers in mid to late July, although some can overwinter here, and early flights have already been reported moving up the coast. In soybeans, larvae can cause significant injury during the R1 to R5 growth stages by feeding on pods and developing seeds. When I ran the numbers, the threshold was approximately 2.5 larvae per 15 sweeps, but thresholds can vary depending on market value and treatment cost. You can use the NCSU dynamic threshold calculator to run your own field-specific estimates: https://go.umd.edu/CEW. It’s important to sample evenly across the field, as female moths may lay eggs in clusters, leading to localized infestations. Many corn earworm populations show resistance to pyrethroids, so growers should consider using alternative insecticide chemistries when treatment is needed.

An image of corn earworm, green cloverworm, and soybean looper on a white background
Figure 1. Common soybean pest caterpillars. Graphic by Hayden Schug, University of Maryland.

Defoliating insects, such as Japanese beetles, bean leaf beetles, grasshoppers, green cloverworms, and soybean loopers, can all be active during July and August. Last year in Southern Maryland, there were soybean fields that reached defoliation thresholds from grasshopper feeding alone. In many cases, damage was more severe in the center of the field, so it’s important to walk the entire field and not rely solely on edge scouting. Defoliation thresholds are based on cumulative injury from all feeding insects. Economic thresholds are 30 percent defoliation before bloom (V1–V6), 15 percent from bloom through pod fill (R1–R6), and 25 percent from full seed to maturity (R7–R8). A helpful visual guide and estimator tool is available through the University of Nebraska (Figure 2).

Diagram of soybean plant and how to determine defoliation percentage
Figure 2. Sampling soybean defoliation. Infographic by Justin McMehan, University of Nebraska.

Stink bugs, including brown and brown marmorated species, are another priority pest in soybeans and corn during mid-summer. They damage pods by piercing and feeding on developing seeds, often resulting in aborted or shriveled beans. Scouting is most important from R3 to R5. The general treatment threshold is five stink bugs per 15 sweeps, but this drops to three per 15 sweeps in fields grown for seed or planted early.

Finally, spider mites may become a problem during periods of hot, dry weather, especially along field edges. These pests cause stippling and bronzing of leaves and can spread quickly under drought stress. Treatment should be considered when active mites are present on the undersides of leaves and bronzing or stippling begins to move into the upper canopy. Threshold estimates follow the 15 percent defoliation threshold, and plants should be treated when that level of injury is reached. 

In corn, Japanese beetles can clip silks and interfere with pollination. The treatment threshold is 3 or more beetles per ear, and pollination is still ongoing. Almost all pollination occurs within the first 4-5 days of silking, so any damage done by silk clipping after that period should not affect yield. It is important to look at ears throughout the field as Japanese beetles tend to congregate on field edges. 

Regular scouting during the next several weeks will be essential to managing pest pressure effectively. Making decisions based on economic thresholds helps protect yield while avoiding unnecessary insecticide applications. If you would like assistance with scouting, pest identification, or choosing control options, contact your local Extension office.

Scouting Smarter: June Insect Pressure and Threshold Tips

Hayden Schug, Agriculture Agent | hschug@umd.edu
University of Maryland Extension, Charles County

As Maryland’s corn and soybean fields move into early vegetative and reproductive stages, June marks a key time for pest scouting. Early detection and threshold-based decisions are the foundation of a strong Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy, and this month brings several common threats that row crop producers should be on the lookout for.

Begin scouting for stink bugs in corn, especially along field edges. These pests often move in from neighboring wheat fields during harvest or from forested areas. They tend to show up first along borders and gradually move toward the field interior, so edge-focused scouting is important early on. From V1 to V6, the treatment threshold is 13 stink bugs per 100 plants; this drops to 10 per 100 plants from V14 to VT. Pyrethroids have shown good knockdown efficacy against stink bugs, but keep in mind that they tend to have a short residual period.

Soybean fields are also entering critical scouting windows. VE to V3 soybeans are susceptible to early defoliation from bean leaf beetles, grasshoppers, and other chewing pests. While the damage may look concerning, soybeans can tolerate up to 30 percent defoliation before bloom without experiencing yield loss. Be sure to scout multiple locations across the field, not just the edges, as field borders often exaggerate pest pressure.

Slugs have caused some issues this spring in Southern Maryland. While most fields are planted by June, it’s still worth noting that slugs can remain a concern, especially in no-till systems with heavy residue. Ensuring good furrow closure is key to preventing slugs from accessing germinating seeds. Using row cleaners to clear residue from around the furrow can also help reduce slug habitat and early pressure. If damage is suspected, conducting stand counts can help determine whether replanting is necessary as soybeans can compensate for stand loss. 

Alfalfa should be scouted for potato leafhoppers beginning in late May/early June. Regular scouting is very important, once hopper burn becomes visible in the field, yield loss has already occurred. Unlike alfalfa weevil, where the first harvest often reduces populations enough to avoid further issues, potato leafhoppers have multiple generations each year and can quickly reinfest fields after harvest or treatment, so continued scouting is necessary. For a dynamic threshold calculator and detailed scouting tips, check out this resource from Penn State Extension, https://extension.psu.edu/potato-leafhopper-on-alfalfa.

Hot and dry weather can also accelerate the development of secondary pests, particularly spider mites along field edges. While not typically a major issue in June, early flare-ups can occur during periods of drought stress. It’s worth inspecting leaf undersides in stressed areas to catch hot spots before populations expand.

Effective scouting depends on consistent, thoughtful observation. Early morning or evening visits often reveal pests that remain hidden during the heat of the day. Scouting beyond the field edge helps avoid over- or underestimating pest populations. Most importantly, only apply insecticides when economic thresholds are met. Doing so helps reduce unnecessary costs, preserves beneficial insects, and slows the development of pesticide resistance.

Corn Fungicide ROI Calculator

Andrew Kness, Senior Agriculture Agent | akness@umd.edu
University of Maryland Extension, Harford County

The Crop Protection Network has a new corn fungicide return on investment (ROI) calculator: cropprotectionnetwork.org/fungicide-roi-calculator. This can be used to determine estimated ROI for your corn crop and can be used to select if and which products to use. Pre-populated data is used, but you can customize the inputs for your operation. The following is information on the tool from the Crop Protection Network website:

Information on the Corn Fungicide ROI Calculator

The purpose of this calculator is to share results from university uniform corn fungicide trials conducted in the United States and Canada, and allow farmers and others in the agricultural industry to calculate the potential return on investment (ROI) for corn fungicide application across a variety of user-defined factors, which is based on research data included in this calculator. 

The treatment cost, expected benefits, and breakeven probability values shown in the calculator are estimates based on data and not guaranteed values. Also, values are derived from data collected in trials designed to test specific product comparisons, and data are not available for all labeled fungicides on corn. Data are not comprehensive and represent only the treatments tested in these trials.

How were fungicide products selected for inclusion in the calculator?

The Corn Disease Working Group (CDWG) develops annual uniform testing protocols based on feedback from university extension specialists. Trials typically test between five and 10 fungicide products per year, per trial. Products are selected based on availability and market share, and typically represent products available to and used by a majority of farmers. Focus is also placed on newer products where efficacy data might be lacking across the corn production belt of the United States.

How were treatment costs determined?

The CDWG solicits information on fungicide product pricing and application costs from university extension specialists annually. Methods for collecting these costs vary by state or province and year. Specialists may collect pricing information from surveys or direct feedback from university Extension, industry, farmers, and other agricultural personnel. Product and application costs are averaged, and a national mean and median are determined for each product based on submitted data. The treatment costs for each product listed can be changed to tailor the expected benefit estimates to local pricing.

How are expected net benefits/acre calculated?

The expected net benefit is an estimate of ROI when considering several variable factors that can be measured or estimated. These factors include the proportional yield benefit (yield of the treated plots vs. non-treated) for each fungicide across a range of disease levels. This is then combined with total treatment cost (cost of the fungicide plus application cost) and expected commodity sale price per bushel with both parameters fit to a function that estimates the expected net benefit per acre. This function is only a best estimate based on the available data and reported, real-world treatment costs. Unaccountable error and uncertainty exists in the data and actual ROI may occasionally be significantly different from the estimates reported here.

How are expected breakeven probabilities calculated?

Thousands of simulations were performed to estimate the expected ROI of fungicide usage application across a range of inputs used to calculate expected net benefits. The expected breakeven probabilities represent the proportion of total simulations that had an expected net benefit of zero or greater, given a fungicide and set of crop characteristic inputs.

What does disease severity mean?

“Low” indicates simulations made using a final end-of-season disease severity level of 1%. “High” indicates simulations made using end-of-season disease severity level of 5% or above. The levels were chosen based on previous research demonstrating detectable yield loss from disease at 5% or above. You may also choose to explore a different end-of-season severity by ticking the box next to “I’d like to enter a custom disease severity %.” Disease severity levels should be set at what is expected for a particular hybrid in a particular field at the end of the season.

Important notes about data

Currently data available in the calculator are from university uniform corn fungicide trials conducted across 19 states and Ontario, Canada between 2019 and 2022. Primary diseases in this data set were tar spot and southern rust. Diseases, such as gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, and others, were observed at lower frequencies in this dataset.

Disclaimer

This information is only a guide, but is based on multi-year research across multiple locations. Contributors and data managers assume no liability resulting from the use of these estimates. 

References to products in this resource are not intended to be an endorsement to the exclusion of others that may be similar. Individuals using such products assume responsibility for their use in accordance with current directions of the manufacturer. 

Find out More 

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) is a multi-state and international collaboration of university and provincial extension specialists, and public and private professionals who provide unbiased, research-based information to farmers and agricultural personnel. Our goal is to communicate relevant information that will help professionals identify and manage field crop diseases.

Find more crop protection resources at the Crop Protection Network. 

Acknowledgments

Data compilation:

Maria Oros, Isaac Baumann, and Jason Lo, Data Science Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

Maryland Regional Crop Reports: April 2025

Western Maryland

Weather has been different in 2025 for sure here in Washington County. We had some of the lowest temperatures for some years and the longest sustained cold spell in recent memory. Hopefully this will help break some insect and disease cycles. Additionally, the snow was good ground water recharge although not as much as we would have liked. Then came the dry weather. The later part of winter and early spring has been unseasonably dry if we can even use that phrase anymore. Recent showers and projected precipitation has raised our hopes again for a good crop year, even if the only activity to date has been fertilizer and manure application. Planters are being tuned up and farmers are practicing their patience waiting for soil temperatures to raise.—Jeff Semler, Washington Co.

Central Maryland

Temperatures have been all over the place. It was 80 degrees a few weekends ago, and this morning it was 29 degrees. Temperatures are predicted to be a bit more spring-like over the next week and a half. Recent rains have made small grains and cover crops look better. We are still in a drought. Nitrogen and herbicide applications have gone out on wheat and barley. In eastern Montgomery County, wheat is at Feekes 5 (leaf strongly erected).—Kelly Nichols, Montgomery Co.

Northern Maryland

The theme for this winter has been cold and dry. We did get a few significant snow storms, but we are still very dry—recent rains are contributing to some good topsoil moisture at the moment. Hay and pastures look very good. Small grains did not tiller very much in the fall but have greened up and look decent and the second shot of nitrogen will be going on in the next week or so. Temperatures have dropped back into the 30s and 40s this week and soil temperatures are still running about 5 degrees cooler than normal. In a normal year there would be planters hitting the fields in the next few days for a few early plant fields, but not this year—we are still a couple of weeks from that.—Andy Kness, Harford Co.

Upper & Mid Shore

No report this month.

Lower Eastern Shore

Spring has sprung but the ground is still cold and wet. Farmers have been able to get into the fields to apply manure, and most manure application is done. Some fields are being tilled. The first spray of spring nitrogen is being applied to wheat. Cover crops are still growing on the majority of fields, although termination has begun. Corn and soybean planting has not started due to wet and cold soil conditions.—Sarah Hirsh, Somerset Co.

Southern Maryland

Farmers are preparing for planting. Everyone is busy spreading litter/manure, applying herbicides and completing field operations before planting commences. The region received some much-needed rains over the last two weeks with more anticipated this weekend. Field temperatures are still a little cool for planting with the cold front moving through this week driving temperatures lower. I suspect most planters will hit the field next week when temperatures warm again. Burndown of annual ryegrass continue to be a challenge.  Small grain crops are at jointing stage. Most of the second N applications are being made now. Alfalfa fields are a but earlier than normal with first cutting coming up soon. Alfalfa weevil is active. Hay fields have greened up nicely. We have struggled with fall planted cool season grasses across the region. Stands did not establish due to the dry fall and annual weeds are plentiful without the competition.—Ben Beale, St. Mary’s Co.

*Regions (counties):
Western: Garrett, Allegany, Washington. Central: Frederick, Montgomery, Howard. Northern: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll. Upper & Mid Shore: Cecil, Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne, Talbot. Lower Shore: Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico. Southern: St. Mary’s, Anne Arundel, Charles, Calvert, Prince George’s

University of Maryland Researchers Encourage Farmers to Participate in TAPS program

Researchers at the University of Maryland are inviting growers across the state to participate in their University of Maryland – Testing Ag Performance Solutions (UMD-TAPS) program this year. The program is supported by the Maryland Soybean Board and will run throughout the summer.

Piloted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the TAPS program provides farmers with a zero-risk opportunity to advance their agricultural management skills and knowledge. It serves as a growing season contest and research framework, designed to uncover how producers’ management decisions drive crop yields, farm profitability, and input-use efficiency.

Growers must make decisions about variety selection, fertility, pest management, and irrigation and their management decisions will be executed in small plots at the Wye Research and Education Center. Decisions made by all participants will be executed in one field, in a true head-to-head competition. The goal is to identify which suite of management decisions will become the most profitable, efficient, and highest yielding.

Researchers at the Maryland Agricultural Experimentation Station (MAES) WYE Research and Education Center will lead the program and gather data on each plot to share with farmers.

When the season ends, growers will participate in an awards dinner where they will gain access to valuable data sets to help them enhance their agricultural operations.

The irrigated corn competition is limited to 20 teams and the irrigated soybean competition is limited to 15 teams. Due to limited availability, researchers urge teams to sign up as soon as possible.

Interested applicants can sign up by following this link: bit.ly/UMDTAPS25. For any questions, please reach out to Dr. Nicole Fiorellino at nfiorell@umd.edu.