IP Crop Network: September 9 report

For farmers in the South, harvest is well underway. In the Upper Midwest, however, corn & soybean harvest is still an arm’s length away. Dry conditions have been mostly helpful, but temperatures have started to cool off, which is slowing the drying process. 

In Illinois, some farmers will begin harvesting corn around Sept. 11. Corn was recently measured at 25-28% moisture, which is a little high yet, but should dry down quickly. Statewide, only 2% of the corn has been harvested, so it’s still very early. Last year was a record corn year, and while this year won’t be as good as that, it should still be an above average corn year. Beans are starting to dry out, and harvest should be able to start soon on those as well. With the lack of moisture in the area, fire is a big concern.  

Michigan has had cooler temperatures in early September, so things have slowed down a bit. Corn needs more heat to finish, and only 3% of the corn is mature across the state. Early soybeans are starting to turn yellow but need at least another three weeks before harvest. There have been a couple timely rains recently to move the crop through, but it looks to be dry for the foreseeable future, which should help to dry the crops down for harvest. 

Fields are finally starting to dry up and beans are starting to turn in Minnesota. Farmers are hoping to be combining by the end of the month. About 4% of the soybeans across the state have dropped leaves, and pods have filled nicely. There didn’t seem to be much insect pressure this year, and 75% of soybeans fall within the good-to-excellent range.  

Soybeans across Wisconsin are moving into the later reproductive stages, with most fields sitting between R6 (full seed) and R7 (beginning maturity). The early-planted fields look really solid – good standability, healthy canopies and consistent development. Later-planted acres are a little more variable but still holding decent yield potential. The weather has been on the farmer’s side lately, with cooler days and mild nights helping seed fill along. Moisture has been hit or miss depending on location – fields that caught timely rains look great, while lighter soils and drier pockets could use another shot of moisture. The rain in this week’s forecast should give later-planted beans a nice push toward the finish line. Overall, crop conditions are still sitting in the good-to-excellent range. Pod counts are strong, seed size potential looks promising, and those April/early May planted beans are leading the way with excellent uniformity and health. Later-planted beans are still filling seeds and will need a little cooperation from the weather through mid-September to maximize yields. If the cooler trend holds, maturity could slow down a bit, pushing harvest back. Right now, it looks like the first fields will be ready by the last week of September, with most acres shaping up for early to mid-October harvest. Corn is mostly all dented in the northern part of the state and is at 54% throughout the whole state. Yield looks to be above average but not record. Black bean and kidney bean harvesting is in full swing, and yields are good. Wheat harvest has been done for awhile and most will not make milling quality as falling numbers and vomitoxin levels are the challenge after so much moisture this summer. 

North Dakota soybeans are progressing through the R4 to R5 stages, with 15% of the crop beginning to drop leaves. Crop conditions remain mostly good, with 61% rated good to excellent and 30% fair. Cooler early September temperatures are slowing maturity slightly, but harvest is expected from late September to early October. Challenges include potential early frost, market uncertainty and localized disease pressures. Farmers should continue monitoring fields closely to protect yield potential. 

SSGA’s IP Crop Network is published twice a month, highlighting growing conditions for identity preserved crops from different regions around the country. The reports include both firsthand accounts and data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) weekly Crop Progress reports.