Some corn farmers are skipping crop rotations due to record corn prices, taking the risk of lower yields in the hopes of higher profits.
The move has been a tricky one for farmers, as late planting, lack of rain and hot temperatures have all contributed to lower yields. Dry weather can have more of a negative effect on corn-on-corn fields than corn that followed soybeans, according to Emerson Nafziger, an extension agronomist at the University of Illinois.
Planting fields without rotation requires more work, since crop reside, weeds and insects can build up in the soil if the same crop is planted each year. But with the possibility of corn futures reaching $8 per bushel, farmers say the work has payoff potential.
