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Harvest Update: Big Spring Wheat Crop, Disease Evident

Harvest Update 2014: Midwest corn, soybean harvest set to begin

September 26, 2014

3 Min Read

Each Friday through October, Farm Futures will publish a state-by-state harvest progress report based on input from farmers and grain dealers throughout the Midwest and northern Plains.

North Dakota – Spring wheat harvest in North Dakota is winding down with good yields reported. In western areas, there are instances of vomitoxin and scab , which have prompted price discounts.

"Some elevators have essentially stopped taking grain because of pervasive disease issues in their area. Choice durum prices have gone to $13 per bushel because of tight supplies of good quality durum," said Bob Wisness, Arnegard, N.D.

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"Elevator space remains extremely tight and many farmers are piling grain. We expect to have over 200,000 bushels of wheat piled on our farm and are very concerned about the prospects of getting that delivered after harvest in any sort of timely manner," he said.

"The rail situation can only be described as grim. We typically get 40%-50% of our crop delivered to the elevator during harvest. This year, less than 10%. Our best hope is for a mild winter so the railroads can operate at full speed," he said.

As of Sunday, USDA said 82% of the spring wheat was harvested versus the 91% average, and that no corn or soybeans were harvested versus the 4%and 11% averages.

Illinois -  Corn and soybean harvests have not really begun in northern Illinois, but should be under way in some fields next  week, said Aaron Book, a farmer in north central Illinois

"One guy has started doing early maturity beans. A few more will probably do beans next week. Some guys may do a bit of earlier maturity corn next week," he said.

About 50,000 bushels of corn arrived this season at the GrainCo FS elevator in Mazon, Ill., with 26% to 30% moisture.

"Test weights were 53 to 55 lbs, which is not bad for corn that wet," said Todd Tesdal, GrainCo operations  manager. "Early yield indications are of record proportion and not just by a little."

 "We'll get heavy into bean harvest next week.  Going be a long harvest even with good weather due to the sheer volume that needs to move," he said.

As of Sept. 21, USDA said 6% of Illinois corn was harvested versus the 23% average, while no soybeans were cut versus the 5% average.

Indiana -  Soybean harvest began a week ago on Nick Frey's farm in central Indiana and is 41% done, with an average yield of 65 bushels per acre.

"Basis was huge early, has fallen off steeply," he said. "Beans are going into the bins now."

Corn harvest should start next week. Moisture on early varieties is about 28%, he said.

Soybean harvest just started on Chris Hudson's farm in Crawfordsville, Ind. Because of good drying  conditions, he said it should quickly progress.

USDA said 5% of Indiana's corn had been harvested as of Sunday, versus the 13% average and 1% of the soybeans versus the 8% average.

Iowa - Harvest of corn and soybeans was still a week or more away in central Iowa, with only minor test cutting of early variety crops reported.

USDA said no Iowa corn or soybeans had been harvested as of Sunday, versus the respective averages of  9% and  6%.

For more harvest news and updates, commodity marketing recommendations and daily commodity charts, subscribe to Farm Futures' free e-newsletter, Farm Futures Daily, and keep up during the day with Farm Futures on Twitter.

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