(NAFB.com) – The federal government shutdown has continued, resulting in another week without the USDA publishing a Crop Progress report. According to a Reuters poll of 10 analysts, the U.S. corn harvesting progress lagged behind last year’s pace. On average, the analysts estimated that 44% of the U.S. corn crop had been harvested as of Sunday, with estimates ranging from 35% to 55% for corn. Here’s a closer look at the corn crop progress in Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska through the perspective of local agronomists. In Iowa, Eric Wilson, Wyffels agronomy manager, shared that corn harvest is moving quickly, with some farmers in his area nearing the end of corn harvest. Phil Krieg, agronomy service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in Illinois, shared that corn harvest is 60% complete. Travis Gustafson, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Crop Protection in Nebraska, estimated that 10–15% of corn has been harvested.
