1. Field Observations

Corn is anywhere between V8-V12, and so far, foliage looks clean. Still quiet (so far) on the pest front, but we are at a critical stage for yield determination. We cannot afford a lack of rain at this point. We have been largely spared from the drought conditions we're seeing in other parts of the state. However, we're on track for above-normal temps through the rest of summer, and a slight chance of above-normal precipitation. We need the rain to outpace temps, but we may not get there. Stay tuned:

2. Growing Degree Days as of July 14th (See: Climate Smart Farming Growing Degree Day Calculator)

Growing degree days (GDD) are calculated by taking the average daily temperature and subtracting the base temperature for development of a given organism ((High + Low)/2 - base temp = GDD). For corn silage, we are using base 50/86, as corn development starts at 50 degrees F and ceases above 86. Check your location and planting date:

Our forecast for GDD next week looks very warm (Avg daily temps in the mid-70s). We also have storms in the forecast, but we'll need more than hit-or-miss downpours:

3. Pest and disease monitoring

A. Western bean cutworm (WBC), true armyworm (TAW) and fall armyworm (FAW) in corn.
This week, insect numbers remained low. At tasseling, the window of risk for WBC largely closes:

B. Potato leafhopper in alfalfa. The only field that reached threshold is due for harvest (and may be harvested as I type):

C. White mold in soybean
If your crop is flowering and you're approaching canopy closure (see pic), risk of white mold is currently moderate.
This pic is a screencap taken from the SporeCaster app, showing canopies at high risk (over) and no risk (under) for white mold. Download here.