Dry weather continues to dominate the greatest portion of the corn growing regions of the central and eastern U.S. The stressed areas have expanded and are becoming moderate to severe on into the Great Lakes area. This has caused plant stress and subjected the crop to lower quality and mold infestation. The bright spot is that the dry weather is forecast to continue through October which should hasten harvest and reduce the crops exposure to additional stressors.

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The initial corn silage harvest data is shown below with Lower, Moderate and Higher risk in all regions of the country. Not only have mycotoxin levels varied but so has %DM which can be an indication of how well this silage may ferment and store.

At the time of writing, all of Europe is forecast to be warmer than usual in May–July. Already dryer-than-normal soils will warm quicker and intensify the heating. The potential crop stress may be evident with lower yields and grain quality. As for precipitation, much of Europe’s grain production area is projected to receive lower-than-normal rainfall. Portions of northern and eastern Europe are forecast to receive above-normal rainfall in June and July. The timing of this rainfall may create a situation for increased Fusarium molds in small grain crops. These molds can produce Trichothecenes, Fusaric Acid, Zearalenone and Emerging Mycotoxins. The resulting risk can impact livestock feed intake, weight gain, milk and egg production, reproduction and immune response.

The winter of 2019 for Europe was, for the most part, one of the warmest two winters in the past 40 years (JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 28 No. 3, March 2020). The U.K., northern Europe and the Mediterranean coastal areas in southern Europe are the areas that received above-normal to normal rainfall, with the remainder of Europe at less-than-normal precipitation. The majority of Europe is starting the spring and summer with drier-than-normal soils and warmer-than-normal temperatures.

Looking forward to planting and growing season and harvest for cereals, the forecast maps (https://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/applications/seasonal-forecast/) indicate some potential issues.

At the time of writing, all of Europe is forecast to be warmer than usual in May–July. Already dryer-than-normal soils will warm quicker and intensify the heating. The potential crop stress may be evident with lower yields and grain quality. As for precipitation, much of Europe’s grain production area is projected to receive lower-than-normal rainfall. Portions of northern and eastern Europe are forecast to receive above-normal rainfall in June and July. The timing of this rainfall may create a situation for increased Fusarium molds in small grain crops. These molds can produce Trichothecenes, Fusaric Acid, Zearalenone and Emerging Mycotoxins. The resulting risk can impact livestock feed intake, weight gain, milk and egg production, reproduction and immune response.

Early spring dry fields were welcome for getting a start on planting. Less than normal rainfall over much of the grain belt along with quickly warming temperatures is drying fields quickly. The long-range forecast is for a much warmer and dryer summer. This may put into place a much different set of mycotoxin risks than what was present over the past 2 years. It does appear that crop stresses will be in place.

Wheat harvest has begun in the southern plains with reports of above normal yields.