DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Corn and soybean crops are in good condition but the challenge for farmers is getting the crops harvested before the weather turns cold.
Late planting caused the crops to mature later than normal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its weekly update Monday that 60 percent of the corn crop is mature, well behind the five-year average of 70 percent. Soybeans are two percentage points behind the average.
Just 7 percent of the Nebraska corn crop is harvested far less than the 16 percent average. About 6 percent of soybeans are out of the fields, behind the 17 percent average.
Winter wheat farmers, however, have planted 78 percent of the crop better than the 68 percent average.