The 2024 harvest is moving along rapidly and in Indiana the most recent progress update has 29% of the corn acres harvested and 36% of soybeans completed. Both numbers exceed the five-year averages.

In a Channel Seeds harvest update, Kate Gorski, Field Sales Representative for Channel in northwest Indiana says there has been even more progress in the days since the Monday USDA update.

“Yes, harvest was definitely off to a slower start,” she said, “but now we are moving and we’re moving fast. I would say honestly soybeans are up to about 45 to 50% in Northwest Indiana. The past 10 days have been excellent conditions for running, and we didn’t get much of the rain from the last hurricane, so we were not out of the fields longer like some of the other folks in Northern Indiana. So, I would say we are off to a good start and definitely ahead of time. Corn is around 30% I would say in the area too. Some guys are getting done with soybean harvest and switching over to corn pretty quickly.”

Every year yield is dependent on planting dates and conditions and rainfall throughout the season. Variable conditions this year have led to varying harvest results.

“We didn’t have great planting conditions as many of you know this year, and that shows in some of the crop. Corn is starting to show a really good top end and then gets into the variables depending on rainfall in the area that you’re located. Same with soybeans, good top end yields and pleased with the crop that’s coming out with the limited rainfall in August and September that was going to be able to finish that grain fill out.”

Gorski confirms this 2024 crop in northwest Indiana has dried quickly.

“A lot of things are way more dry than you ever would expect,” she told HAT. “A lot of guys have been getting into some beans that are 9%. Corn is also, depending on where you’re located, if you sprayed fungicide, if you have tar spot, corn is drier than many of the years past.”

Hear more in the full HAT and Channel Seeds growing season update: