News

Weather slows crop maturity

Corn and soybean crops have been slow to reach maturity as Indiana saw mostly cool, wet and overcast weather last week.  Corn and soybean harvest are well behind last year with both falling 23 days behind a year ago.

While a majority of the state’s corn crop has reached the dent stage, just 65 percent has matured.  That number is 32 points behind a year ago and 10 percentage points behind the five-year average.  Only 10 percent of Indiana’s corn crop has been harvested, over 50 percent behind year ago totals.  Only 33 percent of the corn crop is listed in good to excellent condition compared to 57 percent last year at this time.

With just 77 percent of soybean acreage shedding leaves only 5 percent of the crop has been harvest.  Last year at this time 94 percent of the crop had dropped its leaves and 60 percent of the crop had been harvested.  Moisture content of this year’s crop is averaging around 14 percent and just 41 percent of the crop is listed in good to excellent condition.

In other crops around the state, 7 percent of the winter wheat acreage has been seeded compared to 25 percent last year at this time.  Recent rainfall has continued to help the pasture conditions as 19 percent is now in good to excellent condition.