In its weekly survey of crop conditions and weather, USDA says the 2009 Iowa corn crop is 87% harvested as of November 29. Nearly all of the soybeans are now harvested. South central Iowa is the primary area where some soybeans and about 37% of the corn is still in the field waiting to be harvested.

Farmers are still struggling to dry the corn. Corn is now averaging 22% moisture coming out of the field, according to the survey, released November 30 by the Iowa office of USDA's National Ag Statistics Service.

"Drying the 2009 crop is costing farmers a lot of money," notes Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.

Drying this year's late corn crop is quite costly

"Periodic rains, some shortage of grain drying capacity on farms and at grain elevators, and spot shortages of propane for drying, have prevented us from closing the books on the 2009 harvest," he adds. "But for many farmers at least the end is now in sight. Hopefully, those who spent part of Thanksgiving in a combine will not have to spend Christmas worrying about crops still in the field."

Northey says farmers are paying 30 cents per bushel or more to dry their corn down to the 15% moisture content required for safe storage. "Input costs such as seed, fertilizer, fuel, etc. to produce the crop are high enough, and these increased drying costs this fall don't help," says Northey.

Iowa has had spot shortages of propane this fall

To help in moving the big crop this fall, Iowa Governor Chet Culver extended an exemption for grain truck weight limits on Iowa highways for another 30 days, until late December. The weight limit extension, allowing 10% more weight per axle, is now set to expire December 29.

Also, to get more propane hauled into the state and delivered, Culver extended the suspension of driving limits for propane truck drivers. He originally suspended the driver hour limits two weeks ago amid concerns that not enough propane was reaching Iowa due to lack of transportation to grain elevators and on-farm users.

About half of Iowa's fall fertilizer now applied

Iowa has had spot shortages of propane, which is needed for grain dryers at elevators and on-farm, as the crop has come in carrying more moisture than usual. Elevators, grain processors and ethanol plants generally require corn grain to have moisture levels no more than 15%.

Farmers worked through Thanksgiving and the holiday weekend to get closer to finishing the 2009 harvest, which is still about two weeks behind the normal schedule.

The weekly survey report released November 30 shows as of November 29, 49% of Iowa's cropland has received its fall fertilizer applications, which is 8% ahead of last year at this time but 11% behind the 5-year average for the state.