Topsoil moisture supplies were rated one percent short, 78 percent adequate and 21 percent surplus. Reporters noted that corn and soybeans were maturing rapidly, but grain moistures remained too high for combining.
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According to the USDA’s latest Crop Progress report, 9% of corn has been harvested as of September 18, compared to 9% previous year and 5% last week. The USDA reports 4% of soybeans have been harvested, compared to 6% last year and the five-year average of 5%.
The soggy situation was raising concerns in Kewaunee County.
Soybean harvest is finally underway. These states are at least 1 percentage point ahead of their five-year average. The crop was rated 73% good to excellent, unchanged from a week earlier and compared with 63% a year ago.
Some farmers have reported white mold and diplodia ear rot.
Spotty rain showers came in over the weekend, slowing harvest down in areas that received increased precipitation. Some fall tillage, planting and manure hauling was beginning in fields that have been harvested. Ninety-one percent of the soybean crop was turning color, 6 days ahead of average, but 2 days behind a year ago. Fifty percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, five days ahead of past year. Soybean condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Forty-six percent of the potato acreage had been harvested. Dry edible bean condition rated 65 percent good to excellent. Farmers have about 18 percent of their winter wheat planted so far.
The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 91 percent complete. Those that had previously flooded from excess moisture remained saturated, but growers expect it to be in good condition through fall.
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Mild weather patterns allowed harvest to progress and farmers to begin planting cover crops, according to Greg Matli, Indiana State Statistician for the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
