Harvest has begun for a few regions in the South and lower Midwest. According to the most recent crop progress report released by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, corn harvest has started for eight percent of the country. Of the 2020 corn acreage, five percent is listed in very poor condition, nine percent as poor, 25 percent as fair, 47 percent as good and 14 percent as excellent. Six percent of the soybean acreage has been harvested, and soybean conditions are being reported as three percent very poor, seven percent poor, 27 percent fair, 51 percent good and 12 percent excellent. We also have harvest reports coming in from some of our Stine® regional sales agronomists (RSAs).
Chad Kuehl, Region 5 RSA, South Central Nebraska, Southwestern Iowa
Harvest just started rolling in Region 5. We’ve had a lot of soybeans come out in the past few days. Most of the region was affected by the drought this summer, but we’re still seeing some good yields with our Enlist E3® soybeans. When it comes to irrigated soybeans, we only have a few fields out, but we’ve had some pretty impressive yields. It’s always great when you have a grower send you a video of the yield monitor hitting 100 off and on. When it comes to corn, we really don’t have much out as of now — just a little bit of wet corn and silage.
Brett Johnson, Region 6 RSA, Southeastern and East Central Iowa, Northeastern Missouri
Harvest has just started in southeast and east central Iowa. Dairy farmers and farmers with beef cattle are done with chopping, and dry corn will be starting in the next two weeks. For silage, Stine 9814 and 9808 have really shined. There has been one plot taken out in my area for high moisture corn. Stine 9739E-20 won the plot, yielding 240 bushels/acre. With the derecho tearing through the northern part of Region 6 in Iowa and the rest of my region being drought stricken through the month of August, we are expecting yields to be down 10-20 percent where corn is still standing. However, there is major damage in counties along Highway 30. Soybean yields look to be average to below average. On the bright side, Stine Enlist E3 fields were very clean, and have a lot of momentum into the 2021 sales season.
Tony Pleggenkuhle, Region 10 RSA, Northeast Iowa, Southern Minnesota
In northeast Iowa through southern Minnesota, growers have begun chopping silage with yields roughly 10 percent lower than last fall. Corn and soybean harvest has not yet started. Stine 9436-11 is looking pretty impressive this year.
Kevin Ryan, Region 14 RSA, Midsouth States
Both corn and rice harvest are in full swing, but very little soybean or cotton yet. I estimate corn harvest at around 50 percent complete.
Corn yields are average to slightly above average this year. It appears that earlier planted corn that was followed by heavy rains is yielding about 10 percent less than later planted corn. One trend we’re seeing is that the refuge corn (non Bt) is yielding as high or higher than traited hybrids. This trend has occurred over the last three years. Planting refuge corn pays in both yields and helping to control buildup of insect trait resistance over time. Outstanding yields have come from Stine 9709-G, 9734-G and 9808-G. These are all glyphosate-tolerant corn with no insect traits. Stine 9808E-20, 9814-20, 9744-20 and 9746-20 have consistently been the highest (Bt) yielding hybrids throughout the Midsouth.
Demand for Stine Enlist E3 soybeans is increasing dramatically because of its excellent weed control, yield potential and it being neighbor friendly. We’re expecting very good yields come soybean harvest.
Stine Seed Farm, Adel, Iowa
On the Stine Seed Farm, harvest has been earlier than normal this year because of the local drought. As of Monday, we are 95 percent done with picking seed corn. Given the dry year, the yield range is at expected levels. As for soybean harvest, we’re currently harvesting Elite soybean increases. We’re excited to use our new Oxbo corn heads for the seed corn harvesters and the new Geringhoff corn head with reel for our commercial corn. Both of these new corn heads have advanced our ability to harvest this year.
Stay tuned for our next Harvest Roundup report in the coming weeks!