October 27, 2009
US corn, soy harvest slowest in 30 years
Corn and soy harvest in the US hasn't been this slow in 30 years.
That's according to USDA-NASS Crop Progress report on Monday (October 26) that indicates only 20 percent of the nation's corn crop has been harvested compared to the previous five-year average for this week of 58 percent, and only 3 percent up from a week ago. The number marks the slowest progress in 30 years, with the next-slowest harvest having dropped in 1992, when 33 percent of the corn was picked by this week of the year, according to Charlie Notis of Freese-Notis Weather, Inc.
Soy was slightly better. As of Sunday, 44 percent of the nation's beans had been harvested, compared to the previous average of 80 percent completion. Trade estimates ranged between 40 percent and 65 percent completion before Monday's numbers were released.
While farmers are itching to get back into the field to get these tardy crops in the bins, the weather doing her best to keep the combines still. According to Farmers and Agriculture.com even though soy progress is slightly ahead of corn at this point, farmers are starting to focus on corn in an effort to get what they can done before time runs out.
The crop raisers said they just got "2.3" of rain Saturday morning, but with a little sunshine that afternoon combines were back in corn by 10:00 a.m. Sunday. Though the ground is wet, the website said its "just the way it'll be now until it freezes. We're getting light drizzle/rain now in NW Illinois, but combines will be running in corn by mid-morning tomorrow."
Still, other farmers in the discussion say they're seeing indications the weather will improve in the next 2 weeks, allowing harvest to get rolling as the October page is torn off the calendar. After this week of wetter conditions in corn and soy country, things should improve.
Notis said this Saturday (October 31) should be largely dry for the Corn Belt and Delta, and right now there does not appear to be all that much precipitation in forecast from that day right through at least November 5 or 6. What does fall in that time frame should be mainly in the northern Corn Belt and northern Plains for about November 4, and should be pretty light. Wednesday and Thursday this week should be abnormally warm days for a change for a lot of the Corn Belt and Delta, but it will turn a lot colder for the weekend. There are signs though of above-normal temperatures again for November 3 and beyond, concludes the website.
