September 12, 2007

 

US 2007 soy harvest off to relative slow start

 

 

US farmers have begun to make small inroads on harvest of the nation's 2007 soybean crop, although rainy weather and record-large corn production have hampered the early-season picking pace.

 

Although the US Department of Agriculture failed to issue national-level figures regarding soybean harvest in Monday's weekly crop progress report, individual state updates suggest that US farmers have combined about 1.245 million acres of soybeans thus far this year and trucked some 47.68 million bushels of beans to the bin.

 

That represents roughly 1.8 percent of the nation's total expected crop of 2.625 billion bushels.

 

Picking is reportedly underway as far north as Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

 

At 34 percent complete, growers in Mississippi have made the greatest progress in harvest of their annual soybean crop, although half of all acreage is normally cleared as of this point in the growing season.

 

"Although light showers late in the week may have delayed harvest activities in some areas of the state, the precipitation helped to boost soil moisture levels, and will benefit late-planted soybeans," said LeFlore County agricultural agent Jerry Singleton. "Yields for corn, grain sorghum and soybeans continue to be excellent."

 

Soybean picking progress is estimated at 31 percent complete in Louisiana, which is slightly behind the five-year average of 33 percent.

 

David Lanclos, Louisiana State University AgCenter soybean specialist, on Monday estimated average yields from Louisiana's 585,000-acre soybean crop at between 35-37 bushels per acre, which may be slightly below the USDA's official August forecast of 37 bushels.

 

Soybean harvest is proceeding at less than half its normal rate of speed in Texas (29 percent complete, versus the previous five-year average of 60 percent), a state where torrential rains have plagued producers throughout the spring and summer.

 

Soybean harvest has gotten off to a faster start in nearby Arkansas, where 14 percent of all beans had been picked as of Monday, slightly ahead of the 12 percent average. At 8 percent complete, cutting of Tennessee's soybean crop is also ahead of the usual five-year average of 3 percent.

 

"A limited number of soybean acres have been harvested, with yields running in the 25-30-bushel range," said Weakley County extension agent Jeff Lannom.

 

The USDA estimated Tennessee soybean yields at 33 bushels per acre as of Aug. 1.

 

Harvest of what is forecast to be a record-large US corn crop is currently 8 percent finished, which is nearly twice as far along as is normal for early September.