Raining in pretty much the entire state of Iowa today.
http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/10/21/harvest-may-finish-even-later-than-last-year
Harvest may finish even later than last year
Posted on Oct 21, 2009 by
David DeWitte.
Last year’s harvest delays may seem like the good old days to farmers by the time this year’s harvest is over.
The Iowa soybean harvest is running more than two weeks behind the five-year average, according to the weekly crop report from the National Agricultural Statistical Service.
As of last weekend, the number of acres harvested was 41 percentage points behind the same weekend last year.
The corn harvest is running 2 percentage points behind last year and is about two weeks behind the five-year average, the report said.
Last year’s harvest was also late, because of late flooding that delayed planting in many parts of Iowa and forced farmers to replant some fields.
This year’s crop went in earlier but has matured very slowly because of uncharacteristically cool temperatures throughout the summer.
“We are having one of the most challenging harvests in decades,” Iowa Secretary of Agricultural and Bill Northey said.
In addition, an uncharacteristically cool, wet fall means the moisture content of corn is running high. The moisture content of corn being harvested is estimated at 23 percent, which is five percentage points above average.
That will increase the crop’s cost, because farmers will have to burn more propane drying down their harvest.
The weather hasn’t been much help either. Only two days of the past week were suitable for field work, and temperatures remained unusually cold. The average temperature for the week was 10.8 degrees below normal.
After Monday’s bright sunny weather, the rest of the week doesn’t promise much in the way of improved harvest conditions for farmers, with rain or showers in the Cedar Rapids area forecast through Friday.
