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CROP DECISIONS

| COSTS AND RETURNS | OUTLOOK AND PRICES | MARKETS | MACHINERY | OTHER |

CROP DECISIONS COSTS AND RETURNS

Prices and Yields

Information Files

Historical Corn Yields by County -- A1-12
Historical Soybean Yields by County -- A1-13
Corn and Soybean County Yields -- A1-14

Newsletter Articles

Proving harvest yields advised -- November 2009
Iowa corn and soybean county yields -- April 2009

Teaching Activities (doc)

Crop Planning Prices -- A1-10, A1-14
Corn and Soybean County Yields -- A1-10, A1-14

Cost Budgets and Record Summaries

Information Files

Estimated Costs of Pasture and Hay Production -- A1-15
Iowa Vegetable Production Budgets -- A1-17
Organic Crop Production Enterprise Budgets -- A1-18
Using Enterprise Budgets to Make Decisions -- A1-19
Estimated Costs of Crop Production -- A1-20
Historical Costs of Crop Production -- A1-21
Estimated Costs for Production, Storage and Transportation of Switchgrass - A1-22
Developing Enterprise Budgets for Organic Crops - A1-25
Making the Transition from Conventional to Organic -- A1-26

Newsletter Articles

Making the transition from conventional to organic -- March 2009
Estimating costs of crop production for 2009 -- January 2009
Estimated costs of crop production for 2007 -- February 2007
ISU Extension offers organic field crop budgets -- August 2006

Decision Tools (xls)

Improving the Existing Gass with Lime, Fertilizer, and Weed Control -- A1-15
Complete Renovation with a New Grass Seeding -- A1-15
Complete Renovation with a Legume-Grass Mixture -- A1-15
Interseeding and No-till Renovation -- A1-15
Frost Seeding -- A1-15
Killed Sod, No-till Renovation -- A1-15
Iowa Vegetable Production Budgets -- A1-17
Asparagus, Basil, Specialty Green Beans, Carrots, Eggplant, Garlic, Salad Greens, Snow Peas, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes
Organic Crop Production Enterprise Budgets -- A1-18
Organic Corn, Organic Soybeans, Organic Oats, and Organic Alfalfa
Corn following Corn -- A1-20
Corn following Soybean -- A1-20
Corn Silage following Corn -- A1-20
Herbicide tolerant Beans following Corn (herbicide tolerant) -- A1-20
Non-tolerant Soybeans following Corn -- A1-20
Non-tolerant drilled Soybeans following Corn -- A1-20
Low-till corn following soybeans -- A1-20
Low-till drilled soybeans following Corn -- A1-20
Maintaining Improved Grass Pasture -- A1-20
Maintaining Improved Grass-Legume Pasture -- A1-20
Grain Drying Cost Calculator - A1-20
Crop Rotation Summary - A1-20
Alfalfa or Alfalfa-grass Hay with Oat Companion Crop Budget -- A1-15, A1-20
Oat or Other Small Grain Budget -- A1-15, A1-20
Alfalfa or Alfafa-grass Hay Budget -- A1-15, A1-20
Making the Transition from Conventional to Organic Production -- A1-26

Teaching Activities (doc)

Iowa Crop Production Cost Budgets 1 -- A1-20
Iowa Crop Production Cost Budgets 2 -- A1-20, A3-10
Iowa Crop Production Cost Budgets 3 -- A1-20, A3-10

Profitability

Information Files

Evaluating Profitability of Crop Rotations -- A1-80
Tracking the Profitability of Corn Production -- A1-85

Monthly Profitability of Corn Production (xls)

Tracking the Profitability of Soybean Production -- A1-86
- Monthly Profitability of Soybean Production (xls)

Newsletter Articles

Grain farming profitability headed down -- September 2009
No time to get greedy -- May 2009
Get the facts on selling and buying manure in Iowa -- December 2008
Managing the margins -- December 2007

Decision Tools (xls)

Rotation Profitability Calculator -- A1-80
Rotation Profitability Calculator - using optimal nitrogen rate -- A1-80

Government Programs

Information Files

Commodity Programs for Crops -- A1-32
Projected ACRE Payment Rates for Iowa Crops -- A1-33
Corn and Soybean Loan Rates -- A1-34
Marketing Loans and LDPs -- A1-38
Conservation Stewardship Program -- A1-40
Environmental Quality Incentive Program -- A1-42
Supplemental Revenue Assistance (SURE) -- A1-44
Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) -- A1-45
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 Horticulture and Organic Agriculture Titles -- A1-46

Newsletter Articles

Conservation Stewardship Program -- October 2009
Default yields available for ACRE program -- July 2009
ISU Extension offers information about new farm bill programs -- March 2009
Supplemental Revenue Assistance (SURE) buy-in is reopened -- March 2009
Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) -- October 2008
Payment limitations in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) -- September 2008
ACRE payment calculators -- August 2008
Tax provisions in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) -- August 2008
Crop disaster payments are now a SURE thing -- August 2008
Congressional research service report to Congress on CRP is incomplete and misleading -- May 2008
Beginning farmer opportunities and renewable energy are top farm bill priorities for Iowa farmers -- July 2007
Subsidy elimination: Would it be the panacea seen by some? -- January 2007
The latest on reporting CSP payments -- November 2006
In the agricultural “whodunit,” subsidies may not be the prime suspect -- March 2006
More on handling CSP payments -- March 2006
Reporting Conservation Security Program payments -- January 2006
Two issues may shape the 2007 Farm Bill -- November 2005
Historical LDP Trends -- September 2005
Risk-free farming? -- February 2004
Direct and Counter Cyclical Farm Program Payments -- August 2003
Does the New Farm Bill Reduce Risk? -- March 2003
Counter-Cyclical Payments for Corn and Soybeans -- February 2003
Five options offered for 2002 Farm Bill -- September 2002
Exploring Agriculture’s New Frontier -- July 2002
2002 Farm Bill Offers Opportunity to Update Acres and Yields -- May 2002
This is not your father’s ol’-farm-bill! -- May 2002
Just the check please -- June 2001
Freedom to Farm: An agricultural price response experiment -- What have we learned in four years? -- July 2000
Do the 1999 government farm payments offset reduced prices? -- December 1999
Changes in marketing loan repayment alternatives -- October 1999
Policy dilemma of the current farm downturn -- April 1999
Conservation Reserve Program -- 18th sign-up -- November 1998
Concerns about the 1996 Farm Bill -- November 1998
Fine tuning Freedom to Farm -- November 1998
Marketing loans add a new dimension to marketing the 1998 crop -- October 1998

Decision Tools (xls)

Direct and Counter Cyclical Program Payment Estimator -- A1-32
Projected ACRE Payment Rates for Iowa Crops -- A1-33
SURE Payment Calculator (Supplemental Revenue Assistance) - A1-44
Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Payment Estimator -- A1-45

Teaching Activities (doc)

Corn and Soybean Loan Rates -- A1-34, A1-38
Marketing Loans and LDPs -- A1-34, A1-38

Voiced Media

Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) -- A1-45
Managing Risk with Crop Insurance -- A1-48

Crop Insurance

Information Files

Managing Risk with Crop Insurance -- A1-48
Hail Damage Can Affect Crop Insurance Yields -- A1-49
Important Crop Insurance Dates -- A1-50
Actual Production History Crop Insurance -- A1-52
Crop Revenue Insurance -- A1-54
Proven Yields and Insurance Units for Crop Insurance -- A1-55
Delayed and Prevented Planting Provisions -- A1-57
Group Risk Plan (GRP) & Group Risk Income Production (GRIP) -- A1-58

Newsletter Articles

Late harvest and crop insurance coverage -- November 2009
Crop insurance has some changes for 2009 -- March 2009
Crop insurance may help fl ooded and wet corn and soybean acres -- July 2008
2008 crop insurance decisions and dates -- June 2008
What’s new with crop insurance in 2008 -- February 2008
What’s new with crop insurance in 2008 -- January 2008
Crop insurance and excess moisture -- September 2007
Crop insurance and marketing strategies for 2005 -- March 2005
Will crop insurance cover Asian soybean rust in 2005? -- January 2005
Higher guarantees available for crop insurance in 2004 -- January 2004
Crop insurance results from 2002 -- January 2003
2002 Crop insurance update - Results from 2001 -- January 2002
Gross margin insurance for hog producers -- December 2001

Decision Tools (xls)

Crop Insurance Comparison -- A1-48
Delayed Planting and Replanting Evaluator -- A1-57
Group Risk Crop Insurance Comparison -- A1-58

Teaching Activities (doc)

Important Crop Insurance Dates -- A1-50
Multiple Peril Crop Insurance -- A1-52

Voiced Media Presentations

Managing Risk with Crop Insurance -- A1-48

Analysis

Information Files

Newsletter Articles

High nitrogen fertilizer prices - again -- February 2006

Decision Tools (xls)

Corn Silage Pricer -- A1-65
Corn Stover Pricer -- A1-70

CROP DECISIONS MARKETS

Outlook and Prices

Information Files

Cash Corn and Soybean Prices -- A2-11
Charting Commodity Futures -- A2-20

Newsletter Articles

Where will the corn come from? -- November 2006
Are we courting disaster? -- February 2002

Storage and Handling

Information Files

Cost of Storing Grain -- A2-33
Grain Storage Alternatives: An Economic Comparison -- A2-35
Condominium Grain Storage -- A2-36
Renting Extra Grain Storage -- C2-25

Newsletter Articles

Renting on-farm grain storage -- October 2005
What to do with all that corn? -- October 2005
Grain storage challenges in Iowa for the 2005 crop -- October 2005

Decision Tools (xls)

Monthly Cost for Storing Grain -- A2-33
Grain Storage Investment Comparison -- A2-35

Teaching Activities (doc)

Cost of Storing Grain -- A2-33

Basis

Information Files

Newsletter Articles

Shifting corn basis patterns -- September 2007

Teaching Activities (doc)

Corn Price Basis -- A2-41

Marketing Tools

Information Files

Grain Price Hedging Basics -- A2-60
Using Hedging in a Marketing Program -- A2-61
Hedging vs. Forward Cash Contracting -- A2-62
Grain Price Options Basics -- A2-66
Options Tools to Reduce Price Risk -- A2-67
Options Tools to Enhance Price -- A2-68
Grain Price Options Fence -- A2-69
Do You Need a Market Advisory Service? -- A2-70
Hedge-to-Arrive Contracts -- A2-74

Newsletter Articles

Consider income tax postponement when marketing grain -- December 2006
Accumulator Contracts -- June 2006

Teaching Activities (doc)

Grain Price Hedging Basics -- A2-60
Using Hedging in a Marketing Program 1 -- A2-61
Using Hedging in a Marketing Program 2 -- A2-61
Hedging vs. Forward Cash Contracting 1 -- A2-62
Hedging vs. Forward Cash Contracting 2 -- A2-62
Grain Price Options Basics 1 -- A2-66, A2-67
Grain Price Options Basics 2 -- A2-66
Options Tools to Reduce Price Risk 1 -- A2-67
Options Tools to Reduce Price Risk 2 -- A2-66, A2-67
Options Tools to Enhance Price -- A2-68

Analysis

Information Files

Grain Marketing Terms -- A2-05
Cost Terms -- A2-06
Elevator Failure and Provisions for Recoveries Under the Iowa Indemnity Fund -- A2-07

Newsletter Articles

Booming commodities: How long will it last? -- May 2004
Short-term price spikes often have long-term consequences -- May 2004
Pre-harvest new-crop corn and soybean pricing strategies show incentives for using options markets -- September 2002
Are we better off without government stocks overhanging the market? -- September 2002

Teaching Activities (doc)

Grain Marketing Terms -- A2-05

OUTLOOK AND PRICES

Information Files

Cash Corn and Soybean Prices -- A2-11
Season Average Price Calculator -- A2-15
Change in Corn Prices by Two Week Period -- A2-17
Change in Soybean Prices by Two Week Period -- A2-18
Charting Commodity Futures -- A2-20

Newsletter Articles

Where will the corn come from? -- November 2006

Decision Tools (xls)

Season Average Price Calculator -- A2-15

Teaching Activities (doc)

Cash Corn and Soybean Prices -- A2-11

CROP DECISIONS MACHINERY

Custom Operations

Information Files

Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey -- A3-10
Natural Resources Custom Rate Survey -- A3-11
Historic Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey -- A3-12
Custom Farming - A Share of the Crop -- A3-13
Custom Farming: An Alternative to Leasing -- A3-15
Grain Harvesting Equipment and Labor in Iowa -- A3-16

Newsletter Articles

New Iowa farm custom rate survey available -- April 2009
Higher fuel prices boost custom farming costs -- July 2008
New Iowa farm custom rate survey available -- April 2008
Higher fuel prices push up farm custom rates -- April 2006
Higher fuel prices push up custom rates -- April 2005

Decision Tools (xls)

Determining the Custom Operator's Share of the Crop -- A3-13
Motor Vehicle Cost Analyzer -- A3-40

Teaching Activities (doc)

Iowa Crop Production Cost Budgets 2 -- A1-20, A3-10
Iowa Crop Production Cost Budgets 3 -- A1-20, A3-10

Voiced Media Presentations

Custom Rates -- A3-10
Custom Farming -- A3-15

Machinery Management

Information Files

Acquiring Farm Machinery Services -- A3-21
Buying Used Machinery -- A3-22
Estimating the Field Capacity of Farm Machines -- A3-24
Fieldwork Days in Iowa -- A3-25
Fuel Required for Field Operations -- A3-27
Farm Machinery Selection -- A3-28
Estimating Farm Machinery Costs -- A3-29
Replacement Strategies for Farm Machinery -- A3-30
Transferring Ownership of Farm Machinery -- A3-32
Combine Ownership or Custom Hire -- A3-33
Joint Machinery Ownership -- A3-34
Machinery Leasing -- Is It for You? -- A3-35
Farm Machinery Joint Ventures -- A3-37
Farm Machinery Joint Venture Worksheet -- A3-38
Motor Vehicle Cost -- A3-40

Newsletter Articles

Farm machinery costs continue to rise -- January 2006
Harvest fuel costs -- October 2005
Custom harvesting rates affected by higher fuel prices -- October 2005

Decision Tools (xls)

Farm Machinery Analyzer -- A3-21, A3-35
Estimating the Field Capacity of Farm Machines -- A3-24
Matching Tractor Power and Implement Size -- A3-28
Estimating the Number of Field Days Required -- A3-28
Estimating Farm Machinery Costs -- A3-29
Grain Transportation Costs - A3-29
Combine Ownership or Custom Hire -- A3-33
Joint Machinery Ownership -- A3-34
Farm Machinery Joint Venture Worksheet -- A3-38

Teaching Activities (doc)

Fuel Required for Field Operations -- A3-27

CROP DECISIONS OTHER

Industry Analysis

Newsletter Articles

Agricultural spotlilght: acreage shifts follow price signals -- September 2006
Will there be enough corn: Implications for related industries -- September 2004
Will there be enough corn to supply future needs? -- August 2004
Farm export optimism and upgrading Mississippi locks and dams -- July 2004
New soybean oil eliminates need for hydrogenation and cuts trans fats -- November 2003
Key Supreme Court ruling on plant patents -- March 2002
Low prices don't move bargain hunters to scoop up excess grain -- June 2000
Cargill's acquisition of Continental Grain's grain merchandizing business -- March 1999
Crop farming -- A high risk business -- November 1996

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Newsletter Articles

New hybrid not approved in international markets, farmers must keep seeds separate -- May 2007
GMOs and food safety -- August 2000
Frequently asked questions regarding the production of transgenic crops -- April 2000
Availability and market penetration of GMO corn and soybeans -- November 1999
Potential market for non-GMO corn and soybeans -- November 1999
Transportation issues of GMOs -- November 1999
Will an increased non-GMO demand harm the GMO market for corn and soybeans? -- November 1999
Is GMO or non-GMO more profitable -- a look at 1998 -- October 1999
Genetically modified crops: guidelines for producers -- September 1999

Specialty Grains

Information Files

Specialty Grain Terms -- A3-50
Identity Preserved Crops -- A4-53
Specialty markets bring different risk management needs -- A4-55

Newsletter Articles

Quality Management Systems for Grain Markets -- May 2003
Source Verification for Iowa Specialty Grain Markets -- April 2003
The production and marketing of value-added grains -- December 1997
Opportunities in value-added grains -- November 1997

Teaching Activities (doc)

Specialty Grain Terms -- A3-50

Custom Operations

Information Files

Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey -- A3-10Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey
Custom Farming: An Alternative to Leasing -- A3-15

Newsletter Articles

Specialize while diversifying -- Custom farming -- May 1997
Custom farming -- A new approach -- April 1997

Machinery Management

Information Files

Buying Used Machinery -- A3-22
Fuel Required for Field Operations -- A3-27
Replacement Strategies for Farm Machinery -- A3-30
Transferring Ownership of Farm Machinery -- A3-32

Newsletter Articles

Machinery leasing -- Is it for you? -- April 1997

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