Crop Watch: Corn optimism jumps amid mixed pace of harvest
NAPERVILLE, Illinois, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Harvest pace for U.S. Crop Watch producers was quick at the start of last week, but most of them were rained out for at least a couple of days toward the weekend, resulting in medium progress for the week.
Drier weather across most of the Corn Belt this week should allow for an efficient harvest pace and will help dry out the wet areas, including Nebraska and Minnesota. However, late-week showers could cause stop-and-go field work in Ohio and Indiana.
Three of the 11 Crop Watch producers increased their corn yield expectations this week, the most notable coming in eastern Iowa. That field is in progress as of Monday, and yields are surprisingly good despite prolonged dry weather both early and late in the season.
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 rose to a seven-week high of 3.77 from 3.61 a week earlier based on the preliminary result of 5 in eastern Iowa versus the previously expected 3.75.
A 3.77 for average Crop Watch corn yield is still below what was expected in July and August, and it would land above the 2022 yield but below that of 2021.
Producers in Indiana and western Iowa also increased their Crop Watch corn expectations this week based on results from other fields. Both are now at 4.5, representing a quarter-point bump from last week.
The Minnesota corn field was nearly completed late last week but was paused due to rain, and that yield should land at the expected 2.75.
It is unclear why the corn in eastern Iowa performed so strongly given adverse weather, making improved genetics a possible explanation. The field also got more fungicide than normal, which was previously planned. However, the same magic was not observed for the eastern Iowa bean field given this year’s score of 2.5, one full point below the pre-harvest prediction.
Final Crop Watch soybean yield for 2023 is likely to end at 3.5, up from 3.48 a week earlier. The North Dakota soybeans were harvested on Saturday and scored a 3, a quarter-point above the previous week. The Ohio bean field is the only one remaining, though it is in progress and should score a 5.
A final 2023 Crop Watch bean yield of 3.5 would be a little worse than last year’s result and notably lower than that of 2021.
Only five of the 22 Crop Watch fields have yet to be touched, all corn: Both Dakotas, western Iowa, Indiana and Ohio. The Indiana field could go at the end of this week.
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.
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