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Slow start to central Illinois harvest

A central Illinois farmer says harvest is off to a slow start.

Jeff Brown, who’s based in Macon County, says early corn yields are about average.

“Yields have been good. Couple of greats.”  He says, “I think as we go into May corn, it looks like we’ll have better ear counts, better kernel counts. So, I think the good corn is coming.  It’s not bad now, it’s just maybe not as good as what we want.”

However, he tells Brownfield moistures in May planted corn are staying elevated, so the pace has been disjointed.

“Why rush it? If we got time?”  He says, “It’s still early on the calendar and you know, there’s really no incentive from the processors to bring corn in early because basis levels are not that great. So, we don’t have that early demand of ‘Hey, let’s go pick 28% corn.’”

Brown, who has yet to cut any soybeans, says this week’s warm weather is helping with dry down, and he expects the harvest pace to pick up next week.  

AUDIO: Jeff Brown – Macon County, IL farmer