Harris-Mann Climatology's long-term forecaster, climatologist Cliff Harris, predicts a continuation of the major drought in the central U.S., which is likely to lead to even higher grain and soybean prices later this year.

It may be possible to minimize those losses if farmers can synchronize the growth of crops with periods of time when drought is less likely to occur.

Plants can adapt to extreme shifts in water availability, such as drought and flooding, but their ability to withstand these extreme patterns will be tested by future climate change, according to a study by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their cooperators.

Much of the country remains in extreme or exceptional drought and no one is sure how yields will turn out in 2013.

With farmland recently selling for more than $21,000 an acre in Iowa, saving $5.93 an acre may seem like a drop in the bucket. But paying attention to dollars and cents makes great sense to Cresco, Iowa strip-tiller Frank Moore, who's been farming for more than 35 years.

The combination of drought conditions, heavy irrigation, and widely varying yields means that soil testing is more important than ever this year.

Whether you lose the heart of your watermelon or the heart of your line-up on your ball team, your overall production will suffer, and that is what has happened to U.S. corn production as all of the major corn growing states suffered a reduction from their expected trend yield.

When weeks go by with less than an inch of rain, no tillage system magically makes crops grow and fill ears and pods.

Having 200 farmers, agronomists and other agri-business people at a recent summer field day represents a great turnout in any year, but it may be even more noteworthy this summer.

Having 200 farmers, agronomists and other agri-business people at a recent summer field day represents a great turnout in any year, but it may be even more noteworthy this summer. To me, it was heartening to hear that last week's residue management field day sponsored by the Hancock Soil & Water Conservation District in western Illinois drew that many people. It means that despite the drought, people are looking ahead