Crop Mixed Bag: Soybeans are all over the board, cotton is “looking like cotton again,” agronomists say

As the season rolls on, agronomists are keeping a close eye on conditions.

While corn has been holding steady for most of the season, soybeans are telling a different story.

So the soybeans, they’re truly a mixed bag, because you may be one guy who planted early May and has a beautiful crop. Being the guy who planted a week later had a hard time getting a stand. It was beat down. Just very, very variable right now,” said Bayer Technical Agronomist Zach Webb.

On the cotton side, the outlook remains tough. Webb says growers have struggled from start to finish.

“The guys who planted late April have got a phenomenal crop right now. It looks beautiful. But May, as you may remember, was very wet, and wet and cotton planting do not go together. So we got off to a rough start with cotton. But we’ve had a lot of heat, which cotton loves. We’ve had ample moisture, and I’m telling folks now cotton is starting to look like cotton again.”

Despite current conditions, Webb says the cotton crop is starting to make a turnaround. USDA’s latest acreage estimates show U.S. growers planted around 10.1 million acres of cotton this year, which is down 10 percent from 2024.

Related Stories
The Purdue student team joins us to discuss how they developed Soy-Seal, their innovative soybean-based adhesive tape, and its potential ag impact.
University of Arkansas researchers are working to help farmers reduce grain waste and get more value out of their crops.
Louisiana soybean farmers are moving quickly to get this year’s crop planted during a key window for yield potential.
Weekly export movement stayed solid, with corn and sorghum continuing to show the strongest overall pace.
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities joins us to break down the latest USDA crop progress report, share insights from growers, and discuss how global factors are shaping planting decisions this season.
High input costs and persistant drought is pushing Midwest growers to rethink planting decisions.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The facility will increase the range of sterile fly release and bolster preparedness for New World Screwworm.
David Hardin with the Indiana Soybean Alliance discusses USMEF’s push to open new global export markets for both meat and soy-based feed.
Some sustainability shifts are not particularly challenging and can be implemented with resources already available to farmers and ranchers on their operations.
The government reopens after 43 days. USDA resumes key reports, weighs farm aid, and watches China’s next move on U.S. soybean purchases.
Jeramy Stephens with National Land Realty shares tips for fall and winter to guide landowners and farmers.
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney shares insights from a recent study, discusses EV market access in Canada, and highlights other market opportunities top of mind for Canadian producers.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.