Soybean harvest past 50%, corn nears 30%

DES MOINES — The weather has favored farmers and they’ve been able to bring in a lot of corn and beans.

This week’s USDA crop report says close to 30% of the corn harvest is now complete statewide — that is eight days ahead of normal. That compares to the 19% of the corn that was harvest level the previous week.

More than half of the soybean crop has been harvested at 56 percent. That is 16 percent more soybeans harvested compared to last week. The soybean harvest is now nine days ahead of the five-year average.

Here in the north-central Iowa crop reporting district, 60% of the soybeans have been harvested, with 97% of the soybeans dropping leaves. 28% of the corn has been harvested while 95% is listed as mature.

There were 5.2 days of suitable field work in north-central Iowa in the past week. Topsoil moisture in north-central Iowa is listed as 1% surplus, 67% adequate, 31% short and 1% very short. Subsoil moisture is listed as zero percent surplus, 52% adequate, 37% short and 11% very short.