Fall Harvest Continues to Progress at Record Pace

By CnAgri2012-10-16 19:25:26 Print

Wet weather failed to slow corn and soybean harvest for much of the nation's producers as just 21 percent of corn and 29 percent of soybeans have yet to be harvested. According to Pork Network, the progress puts the 2012 corn harvest again at a record-pace; the national average for the third week in October from 1985-2011 is 40 percent. If producers can wrap-up corn harvest by the first week of November would mark the earliest corn harvest in Crop Progress history.

Individually, most of the nation's top corn- and soybean-producing states are maintaining a steady progress:

In Arkansas, soybean harvest has reached 64 percent, climbing 11 percentage points from last week, which can be attributed to limited rainfall for the majority of the state. According to the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (APHS), the majority of the state received between one-half to 1 inch of rain over the last seven days, with small pockets around the state seeing 1.5 to 2 inches of rain.

Corn harvest in Colorado is at the half-way point, putting it 30 percentage points above 2011's pace and 6 points above the five-year average. It also is gained by 14 percentage points from last week, making it the third highest gain reported. Precipitation last week was minimal, with the majority of the state's cropland receiving between a trace and one-tenth of an inch of rain.

In Illinois, both corn (87 percent) and soybean (69 percent) harvest made impressive gains this week, putting the state well above its five-year average for both crops. Rain was steady, which slowed harvest slightly. APHS reported that the majority of the state received between one-half and 1 inch of rain since last week.

In Indiana, corn harvest is sitting at 61 percent while soybean harvest is at 51 percent. Both corn and soybean harvest progress is well above 2011's pace, but for soybeans it is 6 percentage points below Indiana's five-year average. Most of the state received less than one-half inch of rain over the last week, giving farmers opportunity to make headway in completing the 2012 harvest.

Iowa's corn and soybean harvest have exploded in the last week. Corn harvest, at 87 percent, was one the largest jumps from last year's report. Soybean harvest was at 93 percent, putting it 24 percentage points above the state抯 five-year average. The notable progress was reported after the state received around one-half to 2 inches of rain, with a trace reported in the extreme northwestern corner of the state.