By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

DELAWARE, Ohio — Ohio cornfields did well this year – the USDA’s estimate of 167 bushels per acre is above the national average of 156. Yet, 167 is down from last year’s average of 174.

The Ohio harvest is expected to be 3.3 million acres, and that is down from USDA’s estimate of 3.5 million given at planting time, said Natalie Lehner, communications director for the Ohio Corn Growers Assoc.

“Some of the reasons for that are the hot, dry weather and early planting times for the corn,” Lehner said.

“The crop matured earlier and some of the acreage has been affected by the weather, so it hasn’t been as good as expected.”
Averages in corn moisture have varied across the state, Lehner said.

But overall, the crop looks better than it did last year.

“I’ve talked to some grain elevator operators,” she said.
“Last year we had the problem with vomitoxin in the corn. We’re not seeing that this year because it was a drier season, so while some crops were ruined we also have a very healthy crop that is being harvested and sold.”

Although conditions vary annually, with something different always getting thrown into the mix, by using modern technology for planting and harvesting and better seed quality, producers can still produce a sizable crop and have some carryover, Lehner said.
That carryover is typically 12 percent of the crop. There are fluctuations, but usually 37 percent of Ohio’s corn is used for livestock feed; 28 percent goes into corn ethanol, and a third of that returns for livestock feed as dry distillers grain with solubles; 14 percent is exported from Ohio; and 9 percent is used for food ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup.

“So we have a sizable amount that is left over,” Lehner said.
“With some pending decision by EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) on higher blends in the fuel, we are confident that we can still produce a crop that will go for livestock feed and it will feed the state. Because we have such a carryover every year, we’re confident that we will be able to produce enough (corn) for food and fuel.”
Even though the corn crop appears to be satisfactory, there is the usual amount of discontent among farmers, said Jim Ramey, state director of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS).
“Everybody is running ahead of schedule,” he said.

“But some didn’t have good weather and good growing conditions, and the crop probably isn’t what they might have expected. There are variations in the state every year.”