Southeast farmers are busy prepping their combines as harvest season is fast approaching.
"I empathize with the people making hay. July has been a little bit of a challenge because of the frequency of showers and trying to make dry hay for the cattlemen. That's been a concern, so it's hard to keep all farmers happy all the time," shared Agrologist Edgar Hammermeister.
"For the amount of moisture that we've received here, and on a regional basis, the soil is sitting in a pretty good circumstance, and we have moisture to finish the crop here now. So if the rain stops now, I don't think anybody would complain at all."
Rainfall across the southeast has been consistent but uneven, making the timing different for farmers throughout the region.
"There's going to be a gradient as to when guys start," he noted. "But we overall had a good start to the seeding season, so some of the crops will be harvested in August for sure."
July's wetter and cooler conditions have helped improve crop values.
"We had a string of hot, dry days last year that really moved the crop along quickly, and that also burned out a lot of yield potential for the 2024 year. This year, we've had a mild July. We've had the odd warm day, but overall we've had mild conditions with ample moisture. So, harvest won't really start early this year. It'll be essentially the middle of August for the pulses to start, but by September, we'll be going hard."
Producers need to keep watch over their fields, advised Hammermeister, as insects from the south could make their way up at this time of year.
"Be aware that there still can be some insect pressures that can come up from the states, particularly in canola. The fall armyworm can be an issue. There are a few starting to show up a little bit, just on the North Dakota side. Diamondback moths are a very mild concern at the moment, but it's still worth paying some attention."
Once harvest is underway, motorists need to be cautious, slowing down and being patient as farm equipment temporarily shares the roads.