NAPERVILLE, Illinois, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Harvest pace for U.S. Crop Watch producers varied last week as rains were prohibitive in the northwest Corn Belt, but areas further east and south made decent progress.
Crop Watch farmers in western Iowa, Kansas and southeastern Illinois reported fast harvest efforts last week. Medium activity was reported in Indiana and western Illinois, and things were slow-medium in Nebraska.
Recent rains and moisture limited field work last week in North and South Dakota, Ohio, Minnesota and eastern Iowa. However, unusually warm temperatures over the weekend dried out some soybeans, including those in eastern Iowa and western Illinois, and potentially too quickly.
As of early Monday, eight of 22 Crop Watch fields had been harvested, including the soybeans in Kansas and southeastern Illinois on Sunday. The corn in Nebraska and western Illinois was finished late last week, and the southeastern Illinois corn and western Iowa soybeans were completed a week ago.
The recently harvested fields had offsetting results, some were better and some worse than expected. The Minnesota and eastern Iowa soybeans are in progress as of Monday, and the South Dakota soybeans could also be started on Monday. Nebraska soybeans may come off later this week.
So far, the Crop Watch harvest is faster than a year ago but slightly slower than two years ago.
Overall harvest pace could be efficient this week if expected rain showers are not too disruptive. A handful of Crop Watch fields will not be ready to go until closer to mid-month anyhow, including the North Dakota and Ohio fields.
Forecasts as of Monday suggest total Corn Belt precipitation will be below normal through mid-October, with warmer temperatures likely in the west and normal to possibly cool temperatures in the east.
WEEKLY RESULTS
Crop Watch producers have been rating yield potential on a 1-to-5 scale with a score of 3 around farm average yield, 4 solidly above average and 5 among the best crops ever.
The 11-field, unweighted average corn yield is unchanged at 3.61, tied for the season’s lowest. The Nebraska corn finished a quarter point above expectations at 2.5, though the western Illinois field landed a quarter point below at 4.
Average Crop Watch soybean yield is also unchanged on the week at 3.59, just above the season’s lowest and consistent with the previous three weeks. Soybeans in North Dakota increased a quarter point to 2.75 based on early pinto bean results in the area.
Soybeans in Minnesota and eastern Iowa both declined a quarter point to 2.25 and 3.5, respectively, after late-season dryness. The western Iowa soybeans ended at 3.5 as expected pre-harvest, but a 5 was looking possible as of early August before dry weather set in. The western Iowa producer’s full soybean harvest will end up about 12% below average despite hopes for average or slightly above.
Soybeans in southeastern Illinois ended at 4.25, a half-point above pre-harvest expectations. The producer cites the longer-season variety of beans planted in the Crop Watch field that were able to take in late-season moisture. The rest of his bean harvest has been just average so far.
The soybeans in Kansas ended a quarter point below expectations at 2.75, which is so far the best field the producer has harvested. About 15% of his total soybean acres have been a complete loss.
The Kansas producer also reports that winter wheat is being planted into soils even drier than a year ago, however, drought across the whole state is less severe than a year ago.
The following are the states and counties of the 2023 Crop Watch corn and soybean fields: Kingsbury, South Dakota; Freeborn, Minnesota; Burt, Nebraska; Rice, Kansas; Audubon, Iowa; Cedar, Iowa; Warren, Illinois; Crawford, Illinois; Tippecanoe, Indiana; Fairfield, Ohio. The North Dakota corn is in Griggs County and the soybeans are in Stutsman County.
Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my X feed using handle @kannbwx. Karen Braun is a market analyst for Reuters. Views expressed above are her own.
(Editing by Marguerita Choy)
