Using Fieldwork Days Data to Manage Fieldwork Ray Massey and Pat Guinan University of Missouri Commercial Ag Program Using Fieldwork Days Data to Manage Fieldwork

Crop Progress and Fieldwork Days April through November USDA data – Reporters’ opinion of crop conditions and soil conditions allowing equipment into the field Percent of crops at various stages http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Missouri/Publications/Crop_Progress_and_Condition/

Crop Reporting Districts

NW Missouri Field Workdays Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Missouri/Publications/Crop_Progress_and_Condition/index.asp

Average Date of Last Spring Frost NW Corn Planting Date Average Date of Last Spring Frost

Missouri April Precipitation This precip chart shows the statement on the previous slide that the 1980s were ideal (dry) during planting, the 1990s were wet during planting and the 2000s were average during planting.

Median Date of Last Spring Frost (≤32°F) 1971-2000

NW MO Corn Planting: Median date

NW MO Corn Planting: Days between 25th and 75th percentiles

NW Corn Harvesting Date Average Date of First Fall Frost

Factors Affecting Planting Date Weather: rainfall and temperature Seed Coats Seed Genetics Seed Company Promotions – replant provisions Adoption of no-till Larger equipment – faster planting Larger farms Custom fertilizer and farming

Uses of PFDM Equipment management – number of pieces of equipment necessary to complete fieldword with confidence. Land acquisition questions – can I add 200 acres with existing equipment? Cropping dynamics – given delayed planting, what is the probability successfully carrying out current cropping plan. Nutrient management plans – probability of completion for regulatory purposes

crops.missouri.edu

Crops.missouri.edu Swine.missouri.edu Beef.missouri.edu MU Resource Guides Crops.missouri.edu Swine.missouri.edu Beef.missouri.edu Dairy.missouri.edu