Was June a Good Month for Corn? Here’s What Midwest Agronomists and Growers Had to Say

From timely rains to soaring temperatures, June brought rapid changes to corn fields across the Midwest. Some states saw fairly consistent crop progress and conditions through the month, while others were split regionally.

Experts from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin shared what they were seeing in the fields through June, a pivotal month in the growing season. Here’s a week-by-week look at how the corn crop progressed in these four key Midwest states.

Iowa

First Week of June

Corn emergence in Iowa the week ending June 8 had reached 92%, behind the five-year average by 2 percentage points, according to USDA.

On June 6, Agronomist Eric Wilson said all the corn in his coverage area, which includes southern and northeast Iowa, was planted and had emerged. “Looks very good,” he said at the time.

Western Iowa farmer Kelly Garrett said on June 8, “99% of the corn in our area has emerged. Most of this looks very good.” 

“With the warmer weather and plants taking up nutrients, we have seen a period of rapid growth in corn,” said Logan Dinkla, a Syngenta agronomist whose territory includes much of west Iowa.

Second Week of June 

By the week ending June 15, corn emergence statewide had reached 97%, back on track with the five-year average.

Wilson reported on June 14 that “corn overall looks really good.” Garrett agreed from his vantage point on June 17: “The early planted corn looks very nice. It has all reached the nitrogen and is starting to cover the rows.” 

Later-planted corn was a bit uneven and “in the ugly stage,” Garrett said. “I’d say in a week or so it will come out of it,” he added. 

Third Week of June

By the week ending June 22, 99% of Iowa’s corn crop had emerged, and 2% had reached the silking stage, USDA said. Emergence was on track with average, but silking was ahead of schedule — the five-year average for silking progress at that point was 0%.

Southern Iowa corn looked “very strong” at the time, according to Wilson’s reporting on June 20. “Things are growing rapidly and overall look very, very good,” he said. 

“Corn in the northeast corner of Iowa is a little later planted but also going through rapid growth as well. Things look very good, with the continued and, in some places, excessive rainfall,” Wilson said.

To the west, Garrett said his corn looked nice, but he was concerned about 100°F heat his area was experiencing. 

Fourth Week of June

As June came to a close, corn silking in Iowa reached 3%, still ahead of the five-year average by a percentage point. 

“I’d say our crop looks perfect right now. I couldn’t be happier,” Garrett said of his corn crop on June 27. He said his area got a few inches of rain the week ending June 29, which contributed to the ideal crop condition. 

Wilson said much of his coverage area also received rain. “Corn looks very good and is progressing quickly with the temperatures we have had,” he said.

Dinkla echoed the same sentiment as Wilson and Garrett: “Corn looks really good throughout my territory,” he said. “The heat and rainfall the last two weeks has accelerated corn growth. Corn tassels are about to peek through on the first planted corn.” 

Illinois

First Week of June

In Illinois, corn emergence reached 89% the week ending June 8, behind the five-year average by 2 percentage points, according to USDA.

On June 9, Wyffels Agronomist Ryan Gentle reported that, for the most part, corn looked excellent in his coverage area, which includes much of western Illinois. “ Post-spraying and sidedressing are complete, and most of the early corn has closed the rows and is growing quickly,” he said.

Further south, conditions weren’t quite as favorable, according to agronomist Phil Krieg, whose territory includes part of southern Illinois. On June 9, Krieg said emergence looked good, but added, “Water has been standing on some areas of fields since last Wednesday, June 4, so there may be some replants.”

Second Week of June 

By the week ending June 15, corn emergence statewide had reached 93%, falling slightly further behind schedule: The five-year average for progress at the time was 96%.

In Gentle’s area, early-planted corn looked great, he said on June 15: “Some April corn is already shoulder high,” he said, adding, “Most all fields have the rows closed in now.”

For southern Illinois, Krieg’s reporting indicated increased deviation compared to further north in the state. “The condition of the corn crop has deteriorated in the past week due to wet conditions and lack of sunshine,” Krieg said. “Generally, corn has lost color, and growth is slowed considerably. Lots of replant to do when it does dry out, and growers are looking for options of other crops, or going [forward with] prevent planting,” he added.

Third Week of June

By the week ending June 22, 95% of Illinois’ corn crop had emerged, and 1% had reached the silking stage, USDA said. Emergence was still behind average (97%), but silking was ahead of the five-year average of 0%.

“Corn conditions are very good in most areas,” Gentle said on June 22. “I got my first picture of tassels in a late March-planted field by Springfield,” he added. 

He reported with excitement: “With the warm temperatures and recent rains, there should be lots of tassels by the 4th of July!”

Progress couldn’t have been more different further south: “Corn is anywhere from just planted to V8 in Southern Illinois,” Krieg said on June 22. “We are in the last possible dates to plant corn, but first planting and replanting will continue for a few more days.”

Fourth Week of June

As June came to a close, corn silking in Illinois reached 9%, ahead of the five-year average by 4 percentage points.

“The earliest planted fields are starting to tassel in the area,” Gentle said on the last day of the month. “Corn looks very good,” he said, adding that some areas needed rain.

Krieg reported that planting and replanting finished up in his area by the week ending June 29. “There was more corn planted/replanted in late June this year than I have ever seen planted this late in my career.” Krieg has been in the business for decades. 

“Very hot and humid weather did help the corn that was struggling to finally gain color and growth last week,” Krieg said. 

As of the end of June, southern Illinois had quite a progression of corn progress: “Right now, southern Illinois has corn that is just emerging all the way up to V10/12,” Krieg said. 

Minnesota

First Week of June

Minnesota’s corn planting hit 100% the week ending June 8, ahead of the five-year average of 98%, according to USDA. Emergence reached 94%, also ahead of the five-year average of 88%.

“Corn planting across Minnesota is done, replants (very few) are wrapped up, and we are on to post-emerge corn herbicide applications across the state here the first week in June,” said Minnesota agronomist Tim Dahl. “The corn crop looks good,” he said,” except for a few isolated areas that got some wild weather (wind and rain).”

Jared Goplen, whose territory includes southern Minnesota, said on June 9, “The corn is all planted and emerged in my coverage area. Most of the corn looks good.”

“Areas that have received some rainfall in the last week have really seen the crop turn a darker green with the flush of nitrogen,” Goplen said. He added that in drier areas, the corn was “still rooting down searching for nitrogen, so [it] may look a bit variable in some cases but will start looking good shortly as it reaches nitrogen.”

Second Week of June

By the week ending June 15, corn emergence statewide had reached 98%, still ahead of the five-year average, which was 95% at the time.

“Corn is in very good condition in most of my area,” Goplen said on June 16. He reported localized heavy rainfall in southern and western Minnesota that caused ponding, but said the areas were mostly isolated. 

“The early planted corn is above knee high now and has that nice dark green color now telling us that roots have reached adequate nitrogen and other nutrients,” Goplen said.

Third Week of June

By the week ending June 22, USDA said 100% of Minnesota’s corn crop had emerged, ahead of the five-year average of 99%. None of the crop had reached the silking stage.

On June 23, Goplen shared that throughout his territory, corn remained in good condition, besides areas that received severe spring weather. “Most of the corn is around waist high,” he said, “with most rows closed in now. The crop ranges from [about] V6–V10.”

Fourth Week of June

As June came to a close, corn silking in Minnesota reached 1%, on track with the five-year average.

On June 27, Tim Dahl stated simply: “The corn crop across Minnesota looks good for the most part.”

Wisconsin

First Week of June

For Wisconsin, corn emergence hit 82% the week ending June 8, just shy of the five-year average of 83%, according to USDA.

“Emergence is nearing 80% across Wisconsin,” said Wisconsin agronomist Nick Groth on June 9. “In Northern Wisconsin, there are a few fields that were planted last week that have not yet emerged,” he said. 

“The corn crop condition looks great, especially in southern Wisconsin,” Groth said. He shared that the seasonably warm weather had really started to move the crop along.

“The entire state is also receiving timely rain, and most of the state has avoided major surpluses of rain that can be common this time of year and damage the crop conditions,” he said. 

Second Week of June

By the week ending June 15, corn emergence statewide had reached 91%, back on track with the five-year average.

Groth shared on June 16 that, in general, corn looked “decent” across the state, but he described a split in conditions south to north. 

“In southern Wisconsin the crop is in exceptional condition,” he said. Some of the early planted fields are into the V6 growth stage and potentially beyond.”

“In northern Wisconsin, cool and wet conditions have been a challenge. Corn growth and development is much slower, and many fields have corn that is showing the stress,” Groth said. He shared that he was fielding questions on purple corn as the crop struggled to progress without sufficient heat and too much water.

Third Week of June

By the week ending June 22, USDA said 96% of Wisconsin’s corn crop had emerged, ahead of the five-year average of 95%. None of the crop had reached the silking stage at that point.

“Corn conditions are looking good across most of Wisconsin,” Groth reported on June 23. Again, he reported a split from south to north in progress and conditions.

“The southern half of Wisconsin, especially, has a really nice crop, now rapidly developing. We are still a few weeks away from silking, but with the recent heat, we are likely only a couple weeks away from the first tassels,” he said. 

“The northern Wisconsin crop is a little slower developing, as it has been cooler and wetter to the north,” Groth shared. “The warmer weather over the weekend should have really helped the northern Wisconsin crop, but overall its condition probably lags slightly behind southern Wisconsin.” 

“I would say it would still fall into the good category though,” he added.

Fourth Week of June

As June came to a close, the corn crop in Wisconsin had still not reached the silking stage, according to USDA’s reporting. That’s on schedule for the Badger State.

On June 30, Groth said he anticipated first tassels in 1–2 weeks in the southern part of the state. The crop to the north still lagged behind, he said.

“Crop conditions may be slipping in parts of northern Wisconsin, where they continue to receive too much rainfall,” Groth shared. “Southern Wisconsin has had more sporadic rainfall, and the crop has really not suffered from too much or too little rain. However, the large gaps between showers has made for some challenges when it comes to weed control.”