Farmers have dealt with even worse weather than the mailman this year, and for some the problems keep coming thanks to very heavy harvest rains. That’s making it harder for some traders to get a handle on yields as results off the combine have been slower than normal to come in.
Growers reporting Feedback From The Field last week continued to post highly variable results, with that inconsistency about the only consistent factor in 2017.
“We replanted all of our corn and half of our soybeans,” said a grower in northeast Indiana, an area hard hit this year. “Too much rain in May, June and July and little to no rain in August and September resulted in much below average yields.”
In southeast Nebraska October rains have also been heavy. “Very delayed by rains,” reported a grower there. “Almost continuous.”
Producers providing yield estimates last week lowered their guidance for both corn and soybeans, with ratings down as well. Corn yields ranged from 50 to 235 bushels per acre, with soybeans running 20 to 65 bpa.
Not all the news was negative, however. “Corn is about 12% better than last year, and soybeans are about 8% less than last year,” reported a producer in northeast Iowa with 235 bpa corn and 62 bpa beans.
But even some of the good areas are being slowed by rain. Wrote another Iowa grower with 65 bpa soybeans: “Heavy rains are keeping farmers out of the fields the past week with more rain here now and on its way.”
Click this Feedback From The Field link to rate crops in your area and provide yield estimates in your fields. We’ll update reports with the interactive map below that lets you see what other growers are saying around the country. Click the box in the upper left-hand corner to bring up the weekly index; scroll down to see the most current week.
Follow season progress by clicking on the links below.
Feedback from the field - April 24, 2017 - Growers report slow start in northwest Corn Belt.
Feedback from the Field - April 28, 2017 - ‘Baby it’s cold outside’ isn’t the song farmers want to hear.
Feedback from the Field - May 8, 2017 - Emergence sputters as planting slows
Feedback from the Field - May 12, 2017 - Farms make progress but weather still an issue
Feedback from the Field - May 17, 2017 - Growers wary of this week’s new storms
Feedback from the Field - May 19, 2017 - Farmers face cold, wet end to May
Feedback from the Field - May 23, 2017 - Planting proceeds, questions remain
Feedback from the Field - May 26, 2017 - Some growers wonder if it will ever stop raining
Feedback from the Field - June 5, 2017 - Emerging drought threatens spring wheat crop
Feedback from the Field - June 7, 2017 - Progress, problems noted in early growing season
Feedback from the Field - June 12, 2017 - Conditions turned hot and dry last week
Feedback from the Field - June 19, 2017 - Rains improve conditions, but challenges remain
Feedback from the Field - June 26, 2017 - Crops improve but remain below average in year of extremes
Feedback from the Field - July 3, 2017 - Farmers report dire conditions on the northern Plains
Feedback from the Field - July 10, 2017 - Growers still say conditions are below USDA’s crop ratings
Feedback From The Field - July 17, 2017 - Too much or too little: No Goldilocks moment for U.S. crops
Feedback from the Field - July 31, 2017 - Growers say crops still suffering despite rain and cooler temperatures
Feedback from the Field - Aug. 7, 2017 - Growers note small improvement overall in corn and soybeans last week
Feedback from the Field - Aug. 14, 2017 - Crops improve but growers say yields are below USDA forecast
Feedback from the Field - Aug. 21, 2017 - Rain still crucial as growing season winds down
Feedback from the Field - Aug. 28, 2017 - Mild weather improves crops though problem pockets persist
Feedback from the Field - Sept. 5, 2017 - Growers report lower corn and soybean yields than USDA forecasts
Feedback from the Field - Sept. 11, 2017 - Yields look decent but lagging development raises red flag
Feedback from the Field - Sept. 18, 2017 - Growers beg to differ with USDA on size of crops
Feedback from the Field - Sept. 25, 2017 - Crops improve but still far below USDA estimates
Feedback from the Field - Oct. 2, 2017 - Farmers rate crops better, but yields lower
Feedback from the Field - Oct. 9, 2017 - Yield reports improve for corn and soybeans
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