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Rain causes farmers to shift focus from soybeans to corn

Rain this week has slowed harvest and some farmers have shifted their focus from soybeans to corn.

Northeast Indiana farmer Tom Griffith says it will be another 10 days before he begins harvest because of rain and varying maturity in soybeans.

“Soybeans are going to be tough,” he says. “Last year beans were pretty hard to get through and this year they’re all going to be (harvested) later.”

According to the latest USDA Crop and Weather report, 24 percent of the corn crop has been harvested and 82 percent is mature. Ninety-five percent of the corn has been harvested for silage.

Soybean harvest is 42 percent complete and 90 percent of the soybean crop is dropping leaves.

Eighty-five percent of the fourth cutting of alfalfa hay is complete.

Topsoil moisture is 61 percent and subsoil moisture is 52 percent adequate to surplus.

Tomato harvest is near completion and pumpkin harvest is still underway. Tobacco harvest is 80 percent complete.