1. 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

2. 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

3. Crop Reporting Districts

4. NW Missouri Field Workdays
Source:

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

6. 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.

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

8. NW MO Corn Planting: Median date

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

10. NW Corn Harvesting Date
Average Date of First Fall Frost

11. 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

15. 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

16. crops.missouri.edu

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