Corn, Soybean Harvests Lag Year-Ago and 5-Year Levels

Wet weather in some of the major corn and soybean growing areas has slowed harvest of the crops so far this year. Through this past Sunday, 35% of the corn crop had been harvested. This compares with 38% last year on this date and the 5-year average of 38% of corn acres harvested. 

The states with the lowest percentage of acres harvested so far include North Dakota (10%), Michigan (11%), Wisconsin (13%), Minnesota (14%) and Iowa (19%). Of the major corn producing states, Missouri has 70% of its corn crop harvested and Illinois has 62% of its corn out of the field.

The condition of corn acres remains in very good shape. As on Oct. 9, 53% of corn acres were in “good” condition and 20% were rated as “excellent.” This represented no change from the previous week and up slightly from a year ago when 48% of corn acres were considered “good” and 20% “excellent.”

Last year at this time, 56% of U.S. soybeans were in the bin. As of Oct. 9 this year, 44% had been harvested. The 5-year average for this date is 47%. Of the Top 5 soybean producing states, Iowa had 43% of the crop harvested, Illinois 39%, Minnesota 64%, Indiana 33% and Missouri 23%.

Overall, there was no change in the condition of the soybean crop as of last Sunday compared to the previous week when 54% was rated as “good” and 20% as “excellent.” Last year, 48% of soybean acres were rated as “good” and 16% as “excellent.”