Kentucky Soybean Harvest Set to Begin

Kentucky experienced near normal temperatures and rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.79 inches, 0.01 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 72 degrees for the week, near normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 3 percent very short, 14 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3 percent very short, 14 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.0 out of a possible seven.

Primary activities for this week included cutting and topping tobacco along with harvesting corn. The soybean harvest is set to begin, but very little is out of the field at this juncture. Although there were multiple rounds of rainfall this past week, farmers continued strong gains in the fields as the harvest season is in full throttle. Precipitation and accumulation was not widespread and disruption was minimal for most of the state.

With that said, pockets of heavy rain opened the door for localized flooding in a few areas. Ninety-five percent of corn is in the dough stage with 81 percent of the crop denting. Harvest is well under way with 53 percent of the crop mature. Corn condition has improved slightly as much of the crop was subjected to drought earlier in the season. Ninety-three percent of the beans in the state are setting pods with 40 percent of the crop coloring. Sixteen percent of beans are now dropping leaves. Like corn, soybean condition is showing subtle improvement. Late planted beans seem to be doing best as they received more rain for the most part. Tobacco is 95 percent topped at this time with harvest 60 percent complete. The condition of tobacco in the field remains mostly good. The condition of housed tobacco is 2 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 67 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. In areas where rain has been persistent, there is concern for tobacco still in the field as well as houseburn for what has been harvested.

Pasture condition has improved as timely rainfall and milder temperatures encourage regrowth. Farmers hope for good fall growth to ease concerns for the winter hay stocks.