Planting corn under the right conditions is key to a strong, healthy crop. Ideal soil temperatures for corn germination range from 50°F to 86°F, with optimal emergence around 60°F. Planting into cold, wet soil can delay emergence and increase the risk of disease. Well-drained soils with good moisture retention provide the best environment for early root development.

Soil moisture also plays a vital role in planting. Overly dry conditions may lead to uneven germination, while saturated soils can limit oxygen availability, which can hinder root growth. A firm seedbed ensures good seed-to-soil contact, promoting uniform emergence.

Another consideration to corn planting is having a proper planting depth which is crucial. Most agronomists recommend planting corn between 1.5 to 2.5 inches deep with 2 inches being the best balance for most conditions. Shallow planting (less than 1.5 inches) can expose seeds to temperature fluctuations and inconsistent moisture, while planting deeper than 2.5 inches may delay emergence. Planting depth can be adjusted slightly depending on soil type and moisture conditions.

Ultimately, paying attention to temperature, moisture, and planting depth helps ensure uniform emergence and sets the stage for a successful corn harvest. Timely planting under optimal conditions maximizes yield potential. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team of agronomists who would be happy to help!

Scott and I wanted to provide you with some information on how we receive the propane and fuel that we order. We work with CHS to coordinate our supply throughout the year.

Propane is transported by pipeline to the South Dakota market directly by the Sunoco pipeline system, and indirectly by the Enterprise MAPL West leg system.

• Sunoco: Propane is moved through a batch format, along with gasoline and diesel products.
  • South Dakota Terminals: Yankton SD, Wolsey SD
    • Propane is batch supplied to these terminals directly in South Dakota
  • Out-of-state terminals: Rock Rapids IA, Norfolk NE
    • Propane is batch supplied to these terminals, then this supply can find its way trucked into South Dakota at times

• Enterprise: Propane is moved through this pipeline in a continuously single product format.
  • Out-of-state terminals: Sanborn IA, Whiting IA
    • This supply can find its way trucked into South Dakota at times

It is also important to know that the US exports over 60% of its propane.

When we look at fuel and gas for the state of South Dakota we have the following sources.

Rapid City SD is supplied via the Newcastle Wyoming refinery. That refinery runs off Canadian Crude. That refinery is the only source of supply for the Rapid City terminal.

The Sunoco line (orange), formerly known as Nustar, covers most of the east side of SD with terminals in Sioux Falls, Wolsey, Yankton, Mitchell, and Aberdeen. This line is fed from CHS’s McPherson refinery in McPherson KS. This refinery runs primarily on American crude but does also bring in some Canadian Crude. This pipeline is a fully fungible pipeline.

The Oneok line (green), formerly known as Magellan, covers the Sioux Falls Oneok and Watertown terminals. The Watertown terminal is supplied via the Magellan pipe that is connected to North Dakota. This pipe is being fed by refineries in North Dakota and Montana. These refineries use 100% Canadian Crude oil. The Sioux Falls Oneok terminal gets fed from the south, with some coming from the CHS McPherson refinery and other southern refineries. Again, these use mainly American Crude oil, but some Canadian as well.

In closing, we want to thank you for your business and wish you a safe planting season.

Soybean futures moved higher on Thursday, breaking out of the recent sideways range and posting a bullish move on the daily chart. Japan is weighing buying more U.S. beans as part of a tariff deal, though beans have been looking for a reason to break out of the sideways trade.

Excluding the 20/21 crop year, this year's seasonal sales pace is at a 30-year high, which goes to show how strong export demand is. Ethanol grind also seems to remain strong and hopes to continue that trend into summer.

Effective management is essential to successful marketing. That's why we would love to help manage the risk with you. If you want to try a different marketing tool, feel free to reach out and we would like to walk through how we can structure an accumulator for your new crop ’25 bushels. Currently pricing beans 40c above the market and corn 25-30c above the market. I feel these are a great tool to start marketing up to 10 percent of your bushels and are very effective in our current market environment.