With corn harvest season wrapping up, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) members and board of directors leaders shared photographs of their corn crops to give members and buyers of U.S. grains an inside look at this year’s crops and harvesting experience.
As of Oct. 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA’s NASS) report stated that 76 percent of the U.S. corn crop had been harvested so far.
Follow along in this photo essay as we examine the conditions from a few of our member farms from across the country.
In Indiana, Council Chairman Josh Miller is currently harvesting his crop, which offered up more than expected this year.
“Harvest is going well,” Miller said. “Yields are better than expected considering the hot and dry conditions we endured this summer.”
In Willmar, Minnesota, Past Council Chairman Chad Willis experienced a good harvest with few slow-downs.
“It was a dry harvest with little delays for weather,” Willis said. “The corn quality was excellent, and our yields were our best ever, much more than expected for the season’s cold start and lack of rain.”
Jim O’Connor, USGC Western Hemisphere Advisory Team (A-Team) leader, also shared his harvest experience in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. Along with normal harvest activities, O’Connor welcomed several Export Exchange trade teams to his farm, allowing international buyers and end-users to witness harvest firsthand.
“From the start of soybean harvest until the completion of corn harvest, the weather has been great for getting the crop out. We were able to combine every single day with only a slight little passing shower and some small breakdowns that delayed us for a few hours. The crops were slightly above average, surprising because of the lack of moisture,” O’Connor said. “Our farm hosted people from 12 different countries as part of Export Exchange. Tours were complete with combine rides for most of the visitors. Another highlight has been working closely with family members, especially when the grandkids come to the field to visit or ride along for a few hours.”
Like Willis, Mark Wilson, USGC corn sector director, experienced high yields this year in Illinois.
“This has been a very good harvest in my area with the highest yields I have ever had in corn. The quality has been very good with high test weight and no disease to speak of,” Wilson said. “The moisture of the corn coming out of the field has also been a pleasant surprise with most of my corn being below 20 percent when we harvested it.”
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About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.