News

Ohio farmers navigating harvest challenges after extreme weather throughout 2026 growing season

A west central Ohio farmer says wet conditions continue to delay the start of the 2026 harvest season. 

Scott Haerr raises corn and soybeans in Clark and Champaign Counties.

“We’re hoping to get in the field maybe later this week and get started with a little bit of corn,” he says. “Hopefully we get some sunshine for a few days and then we can get rolling into bean harvest maybe early next week.”

But, he tells Brownfield, “We’re starting out right now completely saturated. The weather this year started off really dry in April. We went wet in May, then we froze out in May and replanted because of freezing. Then we got dry again. We got the most rain we’ve ever had in August and now we’re having the most rain we’ve ever had in September.”

According to the latest USDA crop progress and conditions report, Ohio corn is 93 percent dented, 48 mature, 3 percent harvested, and rated 66 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are 59 percent dropping leaves, 2 percent harvested, and rated 64 percent good to excellent.

Haerr says finding harvest windows this fall could be a challenge.