Soybeans

One Illinois man’s decadeslong fight to convert his fields into rice paddies demonstrates how it’s possible to bring diversity to the Corn Belt, but improbable so long as federal farm policy remains focused on soybeans and corn.

Red crown rot stems from a fungus that lives in the soil. Its first confirmed case in Missouri was last year.

The University of Missouri has been involved in the Soybean Innovation Lab since 2013. Researchers have been trying to help Missouri farmers combat a disease that can decimate soybean crops.

Crop prices have returned to more normal levels this year — down from record highs. As farmers expect less income this year, that's likely to send ripples through the larger agricultural economy.

Humidity can bring the heat index up significantly, and “corn sweat” only adds to the moisture in the air.

The corn and soybean crops in Missouri and Illinois are in better condition because of the recent rain, meaning it didn’t come too late in the growing season to make a difference.

Growing interest rates, high crop prices and rising transportation costs are making it more expensive to store grain — a critical step for many farmers. Economists and grain merchandisers say the market conditions leave them and farmers in an awkward place.

Russia is a big exporter of fertilizer and its raw ingredients, and without them on the market, Midwestern farmers are reeling.

The fertilizer applied to corn, soybean and hay fields costs up to twice as much as a year ago, and that's creating uncertainty as farmers approach planting season.

The Missouri Soybean Association is funding the effort at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.