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Expectations for an early harvest at Farm Progress 2018

It’s setting up to be an early harvest across most of the Corn Belt.

The latest USDA crop progress report lists 10 percent of the nation’s corn crop as mature.

Shane Brockhoff with AgriGold estimates growing degree day units are 10 to 14 days ahead of schedule.

“About 250 heat units (ahead), so I do believe that harvest will be pushed up about two weeks compared to a normal year.”

Shane Meis, director of research for Wyffels Hybrids, calls 2018 unprecedented.

“We hit flowering timing earlier than I can ever remember.”

Wyffels agronomist Brent Tharp tells Brownfield harvest will be on top of farmers before they know it.’

“Now is the time to be out there looking at stalk quality because this is a time when you need to monitor that field by field.”

Tharp says he’s hearing reports of combines rolling in south-central Illinois.

But Bruckhoff points out recent moisture could push harvest back.

“If we can dry off here over the next couple of weeks, about September 15th to 20th, get in these fields and get a lot of field work done, that’d be awesome.”

Brownfield interviewed Brockhoff, Meis, and Tharp at the 2018 Farm Progress Show near Boone in central Iowa.

 

Shane Brockhoff audio:

Shane Meis audio:

Brent Tharp audio: