Harvest Updates and New University Information

Welcome to the Outstanding in the Field podcast. It is the fourth week of September twenty twenty six. My name is Doug Gucker, Extension commercial ag educator here in East Central Illinois. I will be discussing harvest progress and its issues, increasing your custom harvesting charges, and the lack of genetic variability in a commonly used corn inbred breeding line. Line.

Corn harvest has been progressing rapidly in some areas where reduced drying charges were in place at local elevators. In parts of my area, the 2026 corn harvest is nearing 20% complete, yet six miles away, it may be less than 5% complete. Yield reports are good, but not great with yields generally 5 to 10% lower than last year. It was thought by many area agronomists that stalk quality was only going to be an issue with the April planted corn that sat in wet cool soils before germinating. However, I have been seeing stalk quality issues increase in the May planted corn with some fields now lodging.

Corn moisture on May planted corn is now down below 20% in the early maturities with most fields showing tip back of the corn ears. I have noticed very little corn ear mold or rot issues. Early planted soybean fields have reached the R 8 full maturity stage. Locally, soybean harvest is in the beginning stages with early maturity varieties being harvested. Soybean harvest is expected to pick up once the fields dry from the recent rain.

A recent Iowa State University article suggested that farmers add an additional 5% onto their custom harvesting and trucking rate charges to make up for the 80% increase in diesel fuel prices since February. A recent study by the University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences found that in the intermediate maturity hybrids, which are the most commonly planted type, genetic variability related to yield was lacking in one of the two major inbred breeding lines. This is important because with lower in group variation, crosses between the groups would no longer guarantee strong future hybrids. With harvest here, remember to take short breaks to clear and refresh your mind, Eat healthy snacks during those long harvest days, and try to get a good night's sleep. And as always, remember, it is profit per acre, not yield per acre that keeps you in the farming business.

Thank you for listening.