Corn harvest nearing completion

Farmers finally are getting close to wrapping up the corn harvest this year after extended weather delays. This week’s Crop Progress report shows that nationally, 88 percent of the corn crop is harvested as of Dec. 6, compared with 79 percent last week. This week’s report does not show year-to-year comparisons for corn, since virtually all the crop normally is in the bins by now.

In key production states, the week-to-week progress varied considerably. Iowa, for example, advanced to 94 percent harvested, as did Kansas. Indiana reports 91 percent harvested and Illinois is at 85 percent. The northern tier of corn-producing states remains behind, with Michigan reporting 86 percent harvested, Minnesota 87 percent, North Dakota 53 percent and Wisconsin 77 percent harvested.

The report shows 93 percent of the national winter wheat crop has emerged, compared with 89 percent last week. Mirroring last week, 63 percent of the winter wheat crop rates good or excellent for condition, with just 6 percent rating poor or very poor. Condition in key wheat-grazing states such as Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas generally look good, although Texas reports just 45 percent of its crop as good or very good and 14 percent as poor or very poor. Overall though, it looks like the outlook for wheat production should be favorable enough to maintain demand for stocker cattle to graze those pastures.

The full report is available online.

Source: Drovers (sister publication to Dairy Herd Management)

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