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USDA: Corn and soybean harvests lag year ago, averages

Corn harvest at 46%, soybean at 62%.

Bob Burgdorfer, Senior Editor

October 18, 2016

2 Min Read

Corn and soybean harvests trail their five-year averages as rain and humid conditions have at time sidelined combines.

USDA on Monday put the corn harvest at 46%, compared with 54% a year ago and the 49% average. Soybeans were 62% cut versus 73% a year ago and the 63% average.

Related: USDA: Corn 35% harvested, soybeans 44%

Iowa, the largest corn producer, is at 33% versus 45% a year ago and the 45% average. Soybeans in that state are at 62% cut versus 78% a year ago and the 74% average, USDA said on Monday.

“Many farmers reported waiting for crops to dry down in the field before harvesting and concentrating on corn rather than soybeans,” the Iowa report said.

Illinois was farther along than Iowa on the corn harvest with 5.4 days of fieldwork last week to put it at 73%, versus 81% a year ago and the 63% average. Soybeans there were 58% harvested, versus 81% a year ago and the 63% average.

Nationally corn improved 1 point from a week ago to 74% good/excellent while soybeans were unchanged at 74%. As a result, Farm Futures calculates about .4 bpa was added to the average corn yield. Farm Futures calculations show little change in the overall soybean yield.

Harvest in Indiana also was slowed by rain, but above-normal temperatures helped dry fields. However, there were instances of the season’s first frost. Indiana’s corn harvest was at 52% versus the 44% average while soybeans were at 54% versus the 54% average.

Winter wheat planting advanced to 72%, compared with 73% a year ago and the 73% average. Wheat emergence was 47%, versus 44% a year ago and the 45% average. Next week, USDA will add winter wheat condition ratings to the weekly progress report.

In Kansas, winter wheat was 73% planted and 47% emerged, which trailed the five-year averages. Statewide topsoil moisture declined to 9% surplus and 72% adequate from last week’s 12% and 73%.

Nationally, sorghum was 57% harvested versus the 49% average.

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