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Corn yields down, moisture levels up after challenging growing season

A central Indiana farmer says his corn crop is variable and yields are below expectations.

Chris Cherry says inconsistent weather throughout the growing season impacted this year’s crop. 

“We’re seeing anywhere from 150 to 220,” he says. “Where it was 150, we had too much water early combined with the drought late. Where the corn was better, it was on well-drained soil and didn’t have the ponding in late-May and early-June.”

He tells Brownfield moisture levels have been surprising.

“Most of it has been between 16 and 19 percent moisture,” he says. “We’ve been harvesting in the order that we planted, so we got into a little bit of the wetter areas but went ahead and shelled it anyway.”

Cherry anticipates harvest will wrap up by the end of the month.

He raises corn, soybeans, and wheat in Hancock County.

AUDIO: Chris Cherry