How ‘Tight Tassel Wrap’ is Squeezing Corn Farmers Already Reeling from Tariffs

Tight Tassel Wrap Is Showing Up in the Corn Belt — Here’s What Farmers Should Know – By Mariah Squire – Successful Farming

Ugly Corn Photos on Social Media Show Risk Posed to Record US Crop – By Erin Ailworth and Michael Hirtzer – Insurance Journal

Tight tassel wrap is a condition where the top flag leaf of a corn plant stays bound to the developing tassel, preventing the tassel from fully emerging and properly shedding its pollen. The condition is being widely reported this year in 2025 across several states, including Indiana, Iowa, and Illinois and is believed to be a type of “rapid growth syndrome.”