Indiana Crops Struggle in Homestretch as Harvest Begins

Most Indiana corn is still green

Corn harvest 2019 is now officially underway. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says one percent of the state’s corn has been harvested, according to a weekly USDA crop progress report. The five-year-average shows four percent of Hoosier corn is typically in the bin by now.

As Indiana farmers begin the long harvest run, it appears most will not see bin-busting yields of corn and soybeans. New federal data shows it could be the worst crop in terms of yield since the drought year of 2012. Uncooperative weather in August is partially to blame.

According to just-updated data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Indiana’s average corn yield is forecast at 161 bushels per acre, down 28 bushels from last year and down five bushels from estimates last month.

Total production is estimated at 789 million bushels, a 20 percent drop from a year ago.

Soybean yield in Indiana also saw a drop from last month’s estimates. USDA is projecting the average soybean yield is 49 bushels an acre, down nearly ten bushels from last year and down one bushel from August.

Total soybean production is forecast at 263 million bushels, down 24 percent from a year ago.

Both corn and soybean estimates would be the smallest crop since 2012.