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Early harvest results in southeastern Illinois showing soybean challenges

A technical services representative with BASF says early harvest results in his area have been mixed.

Mike Probst, who’s based in southeastern Illinois, tells Brownfield…

“Honestly, seeing a lot of soybeans coming off.”  He says, “Corn seems to be pretty good for the most part, hearing some pretty good numbers. But soybean yields seem to be down a little bit. It’s not terrible, it’s more in the 50s and 60s versus on some of the more successful years we’ve had here recently where you hear in the 70s and 80s.”

He says those below expectation yields are likely due to weather stress.

“We had some pretty heavy rains at some points this summer, a little bit more than what those soybeans could handle.”  He says, “Then unfortunately we didn’t catch some of those late rains that we all know are really key to those high soybean yields. So, I think they got a little bit of two strikes against them.”

Probst says farmers were also finding soybeans too dry, but this week’s rains should help return some moisture.

AUDIO: Mike Probst – BASF