Fall Harvest Is Slow

The progress of the Illinois corn crop is slow.  By this time last year, 94 percent of Illinois corn was mature, and 51 percent harvested. Now, 47 percent is mature and 5 percent harvested, according to the weekly USDA crop progress report.  “Some of the cooler (temperatures) that we have had over the summer I believe have slowed the maturation process of crops, and so the corn is not drying out as quickly as the farmers would like it. They can probably still go get it now, but when they bring it to the elevator they don’t get full price for it. If they wait till Mother Nature dries it down, that’s better for their pocketbook,” says USADA crop statistician Mark Schleusener.

 

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The condition of the crop is weak too, in terms of how long the ears are and how well they’re filled with kernels, with 58 percent in the good or excellent category, 30 percent average and 12 percent rated poor or very poor.  It’s usually better in Illinois.  Soybeans are now 72 percent turning yellow, 37 percent dropping leaves and 1 percent harvested, all behind 2012 and behind the five-year average.

 

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