U.S. corn harvest completion climbs by 16 percent for second week in a row

But harvest is still 14 percent behind last year’s figures

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

U.S. corn farmers have completed almost three-quarters of their 2017 harvest, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) latest Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin for the week ending Nov. 5.

Farmers have combined 70 percent of the 2017 U.S. corn crop, according to the report. That number is up from 54 percent last week and represents the second consecutive 16 percent increase in harvest completion.

But the corn harvest is still 14 percent behind last year’s harvest completion recorded at this time.

Farmers in Tennessee and North Carolina lead the nation in terms of harvest completion, having combined 98 percent of their respective crops.

Growers in Wisconsin have completed 37 percent of their 2017 corn harvest. That number is the lowest among the 18 states documented but does represent a 12 percent increase from last week.

Soybeans

The U.S. soybean harvest increased by 7 percent from last week, according to the USDA.

Farmers have combined 90 percent of the American soybean crop as of Nov. 5. That number is up from 83 percent last week.

Soybean growers in Louisiana finished harvesting their soybeans last week. Producers in South Dakota and Minnesota have combined 99 percent of their respective soybean crops.

Producers in North Carolina have completed 50 percent of their soybean harvest, the USDA reports. That number is the lowest of the 18 states recorded, but does represent a 9 percent increase from last week.

Wheat

U.S. winter wheat emergence increased by 10 percent over the past week.

About 75 percent of the U.S. winter wheat crop has emerged, according to the USDA. That number is up from 65 percent last week.

In South Dakota, 95 percent of the state’s winter wheat crop has emerged. That number is up from 91 percent last week and is the highest among the 18 states documented.

Only 8 percent of the winter wheat in California has emerged. That number is up from 5 percent last week but well below the 37 percent emergence recorded at this time last year.

USDA ranked 45 percent of the winter wheat crop as good.

Suitable fieldwork days

Arizona had the most suitable fieldwork days (seven) for the week ending Nov. 5, according to the USDA.

The states with the fewest suitable fieldwork days for the same week were:

• New York and Vermont – 2.5 days
• Michigan and Ohio – 2.9 days
• Montana – 3.2 days

Weekly precipitation levels

The next Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin will be released on Tues., Nov. 14.