2024 was a tough year for many corn growers. So did we learn any lessons, and how can farmers apply them in 2025? Dr. Ron Heiniger is extension corn specialist for NC State University. He believes corn planted acres will be down, specifically in North Carolina this year.
“I think they’re going to be down, actually, probably 150,000 acres planted corn. I think we were 890,000 last year. We’ll be closer at 720, 000 if we’re lucky, actually. So I mean, it’s all about cost. Input costs are high. Corn crop last year was miserable. The current prices for corn, well, they’re coming up, but they’re still not where they need to be. So I think growers are looking at their bottom line and saying, Hey, I think I’m going to try something a little different this year get by.”
Heiniger says for planters looking to save money, his first piece of advice is to remember that plant population is more important than the nitrogen rate.
“Your best bet when you think about whether I place my money in seed or nitrogen, is focus on seed first. Nitrogen, actually we can get by with less nitrogen than we think we can, but seed becomes a real critical factor.”
Heiniger also emphasizes the start of the corn crop, but with a caveat.
“I’ve been a big promoter of getting these corn crop off to good start using star fertilizers. This is a year where maybe we’re going to pull back on that, to use a little less starter fertilizer, rely on our environment a little bit more, take advantage of some of the things that maybe our soils still have available to us. Still don’t miss out on that step by any stretch imaginable. Find a way to do it, maybe a little more economically.”
And emergence is always a critical factor.
“We’ve done a study here where just how you place the seed in the furrow makes a difference of emergence. And so it really has highlighted how critical that planting step is. You know, that is your Super Bowl day. I’ve said this many, many times, that’s Super Bowl on the farm, and that’s so true. You want the best day you can find to do it. Get the right environment, make sure your equipment’s working at top notch and make sure that that seed is placed as uniformly, consistently. And then, yes, whether we use startup or biologicals, there’s some potential here with biologicals or other approaches to get this seed off to a really good start.”