In last week's newsletter, I shared a few insights from the Allendale Ag Leaders Conference - Maximizing the Opportunity of Global Change held in Crystal Lake, Illinois, USA in mid-January and this week there's more.

Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist of World Weather, shared his North American forecast for the 2012 growing season.

Spring: Expect cool conditions to balance the warmer-than-normal winter. The precipitation anomaly for early spring is going to continue to be below average on precipitation in the Northern Plains. In early spring, expect to see a wet bias in the Ohio River basin and parts of the Delta, which could delay planting. Canadian prairies are also expected to be cooler than normal.

Early summer: Into May and June, the drier, warmer bias in the Northern Plains will continue to perpetuate itself, allowing crops in this area to be planted fairly quickly. The moisture abundance in the Midwest should diminish as we enter the May/June time period. The dryness in the Southeast could shift up into the Ohio River basin and change the moisture level. A drier bias in Canada is expected with cooler than normal temperatures expected for an extended period of time, likely another five or six months.

Mid-summer: There's the ridge in the middle of the country. The heat ridge carries a trough of low pressure over the eastern US, suggesting there will be more rain in the eastern part of the Midwest than last year. Spring dryness in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky should go away moving into the summer. The southeastern US should see an abundance of precipitation as we move deeper into the summer season. Canada is expected to counterbalance herself a bit with less heat throughout the summer.

Late summer/fall: A drier bias is expected. Harvest should go extremely well. It'll be dry in the northern Plains, so they should expect to harvest early. The rest of the country should expect a normal harvest.

To read more about Lerner's weather expectations for North America, click here. And… watch the Headlines & Analysis section of TheCropSite this week for Lerner's 2012 global weather outlook.

One final note… last week, I attended the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. First off, let me say it has a huge trade show (two exhibit halls), with a large section dedicated to feed. A truly international audience attended, with an exceptionally strong presence from South America. It was a real learning experience for me, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the poultry industry. Read more IPE coverage at my sister sites ThePoultrySite.com or ElSitioAvicola.com.

Have a great week!