HARVEST PROGRESSES LIKE WILDFIRE

Gusting winds, dry plant material and hot combines sparked several field fires last week throughout Latham Country.  A combine fire on Thursday caused fire to stretch two miles wide and 1 mile long near Kanawha in North Central Iowa.  As a result, law enforcement officials asked farmers to temporarily cease harvesting due to the elevated risk of fires.

Although harvest came to a temporary halt in some areas, great progress was made statewide over the last seven days.  Twelve percent of Iowa’s corn crop has been harvested, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service report on Oct. 3, which is ahead of the 10 percent five-year average.  Ninety-eight percent of Iowa’s soybean crop has turned color, but just 21 percent of the soybean crop has been harvested to date.

Select a territory in the map below to view a region’s most recent crop report, provided by Latham’s regional sales managers