Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

U.S. farmers start harvest

U.S. farmers start harvest

Predicting the yield will be tough, one producer said

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Some U.S. corn producers are preparing to bring out their combines.

About 5 percent of the national corn crop is in the dough stage, the USDA’s latest Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin said on July 23. That figure is down from 16 percent last year.

On a state level, about 58 percent of the corn in Texas is in the dough stage. That number is the highest of the 18 documented states.

But some fields in the state are even further along, said Aaron Martinka, a farmer from Austin, Texas.

“In my area, farmers are maybe a week away from starting harvest,” he told Farms.com. “In fact, I might even start to harvest some acres this afternoon.”

Like several American farmers, Martinka’s season was full of rain and delays.

His crops still show signs of the late start, he said.

“We were really wet in the spring, so we have a lot of variability in the field,” he said. “I’m hours away from starting harvest and just don’t know how to categorize the crop. (My thoughts are) full of question marks and I would imagine farmers nationwide are thinking the same way.”

The U.S. soybean crop is also entering its next development stage.

Around 7 percent of national soybean acres are setting pods, the USDA said. That figure is down from 41 percent in 2018.

The soybean crop in Louisiana has set 72 percent of its pods, which is the most progress among the 18 documented states.

Only producers in South Dakota and Michigan have yet to reach this stage in at least some of their fields.

Winter wheat harvest continues across the U.S.

About 69 percent of winter wheat is in the bin, the USDA said. That figure is down from 79 percent last year.

Only Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas have completed their wheat harvest.

Farmers in South Dakota and Montana haven’t combined any winter wheat acres yet, the USDA said.


Trending Video

Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.