Corn Profit Pointers

Lime, according to soil test to a pH of 6.0-6.2. Within this range, all macro and micro nutrients are available in the soil.

Insure your crop. This should go without saying. In low profitability years insure as much of your yield potential as practical. This is not the time to cut insurance and expose your operation to additional risk to save a few dollars. Calculate the price you need to receive to cover your variable costs, including land rent. Record this number, then calculate the price you need to service your debts and cover your variable costs. Record this number. Consider locking in a portion of your guaranteed production once prices will cover your variable costs, and gradually increase this as the market (hopefully) moves upward. Consider contracting up to your insurance coverage amount if prices rise above the insurance price guarantee.

Choose the right variety. Base your selection on consistent performance (2-3 years) rather than a single year’s performance. NC Official Variety Trial data breaks out those varieties in the trial that yielded well across the state as well as the coastal plain (one site is actually in Bertie County). Look for ones that performed at least 3% above the trial mean (i.e., the average of the test). Compare these varieties to the results from the Regional Corn Variety Trial led by Edward Godfrey. Consider single-year high-yielders on a limited number of acres to monitor their performance on your farm. https://officialvarietytesting.ces.ncsu.edu/corn-2025/

Choose the right maturity. Over the years and across the state, there is generally no statistical difference between 110  and 120-day maturities. There is an advantage to spreading out the maturities to lessen the weather risk.

Manage Your Planting Date  We have had quite an unusual winter so far, and with the weather forecast shared during our corn production meeting by Ryan Heiniger, we can look for cooler and wetter conditions through April and May. Plant when there are 40-50 GDUs expected in the 4 days following planting, and there is less than 2 inches of rainfall predicted the week after planting. For more information on planting conditions, go to: https://bertie.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/04/2024-bertie-corn-planting-guidance-climate-dashboard/.

Fertilizer  Maximize your fertilizer impact. Corn responses to starter fertilizer whether in-furrow  or place beside the row in 2×2 or 2x2x2. Begin with 50 lb nitrogen preplant (broadcast plus starter) along with 50 lb of phosphorus, 2 lbs. of sulfur, and 1 lb. zinc. The sulfur and zinc increase the nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency. This will take the crop through V3 or V5  when the crop will be top-dressed (80 lb. additional N) ,bringing the total nitrogen rate up to 135 lb. (based on .9lb N per bushel for 150 bushel of production). If your expected production is greater than 150 bushels, then adjust the rate accordingly. Research studies show .9 lb. N per bushel of production is sufficient unless there is excessive rainfall leading to leaching.

Weed Control  Start clean, whether with tillage or herbicides such as Roundup plus 2,4-D or Gramoxone plus 2,4-D. Follow with a good preemergence application such as Bicep or Lariat plus Atrazine. Finally, at layby an application such as Roundup plus Atrazine (assuming you have a Roundup Ready variety) or similar grass control plus Atrazine.

Harvest   Be timely with your harvest. Avoid the temptation to let the crop dry down to 15.5% in the field. This increases the chance of in-field losses and also reduces your harvest weight. Corn will dry down 1-2% moisture per day, and this may slow but does not stop once the moisture reaches 15.5%. So, every percentage point below 15.5% cost you weight across the scale. For more information on harvest costs, go to: https://corn.ces.ncsu.edu/2018/08/harvesting-corn-what-grain-moisture-should-i-harvest-corn-at/