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Iowa corn harvest gets underway as soybean yields show variability

Some Iowa farmers have begun harvesting corn.

USDA’s latest weekly crop progress report shows corn two percent harvested, in line with the five-year average.

There’s no indication soybean harvest is underway, with just 22 percent of the crop dropping leaves compared to nearly 30 percent normally.

Southeast Iowa farmer Mark Jackson tells Brownfield his beans are highly variable.

“I do see a tremendous swing in pod count when it comes to soybeans. The pod count might be there, but not necessarily the two and three-bean pods. You struggle to find four in certain varieties.”

The Oskaloosa farmer expects a 10 percent yield reduction on soybeans this year.