Iowa Corn Harvest Picks Up Steam

Iowa farmers are taking advantage of near-perfect harvesting weather, transforming standing corn and soybeans fields into stubble.
                     
In central Iowa’s Story County, Dennis Smith is feeling very good about progress harvesting his two-thousand acres of corn.  He says harvest is approaching the halfway mark.
 
Smith’s farm northeast of Ames received heavy summer rains and it’s showing up in the bushels per acre he’s harvesting.
 
“Areas where it was waterlogged, down to sixty to a hundred [bushels per acre]," he said.  "The good areas up to 240. The stalk quality is absolutely terrible. Definitely weather-related.”
 
But in perspective, he’s satisfied.
 
"It’s the best we’ve had in Story County for many years," he said. "Yes, I am satisfied.”
 
Another good weather week, and Smith will be finishing corn harvest.
 
“It’s early. I like it," he said. "Conditions are good. It’s all good. We just need another buck or two on the price.”
 
That’s the irony. Good yields, but market prices about half as much as three years ago.