Crop Conditions

Harvest is nearing completion, and results have been variable but generally better than expected. Widespread rain has brought harvest progress to a halt this week, and it will take several days of drying weather before fieldwork can resume.

This harvest season got off to a slow start due to very wet conditions in September, and now more rain is delaying things again. The long-range forecast calls for much drier conditions and above-average temperatures over the next few weeks, so it looks like harvest should be wrapped up before Thanksgiving at least. That’s considerably later than we’ve become accustomed to in recent years, but not unprecedented at all. The last late harvest I remember was 2019, when fieldwork stretched well into November. Before that, the latest harvest I recall in my career was in 2009, when it continued into December for many and the following spring for some because of heavy snow.

About 70% of the corn has been harvested in our region. The remaining corn still in the field is at risk of harvest losses due to downed corn. Stalks have weakened, and stalk and crown rot are common this year. Yields have been highly variable depending on rainfall amounts, soil quality, fertility, and other factors. Overall, however, most yields were very good considering the growing conditions. In some of the better areas, farms achieved their best yields on record. On the other end of the spectrum, there were some very poor yields. The timely rainfall events in early July were critical to the corn crop and made a significant difference in final yields.

Soybean yields were very good on farms with high-quality soils. However, any weaknesses in soil texture, weed control, fertility, or other management factors had a significant impact on yields. I also noticed that later-maturing soybean varieties performed well this year, as they were able to take advantage of the late-season rainfall.