Wisconsin Winding Down Rapid Harvest Season

Wisconsin is on the verge of finishing its harvest season, USDA said in the latest Crop Progress report. Corn harvest is over 20 percentage points ahead of 2023, while soybeans are also getting harvested quicker than the average. Agronomist input and pie charts tell the story of a fast-paced season aided by a wet spring and dry summer.

Corn Harvest and Yield

Corn harvest is 89% complete in Wisconsin as of Nov. 10, USDA said. Wisconsin is a staggering 26 percentage points ahead of the five year average. On Nov. 10 of 2023, Wisconsin was only 61% complete with corn harvest — well behind the 2024 number. According to data from June’s USDA Acreage Report, Wisconsin still has 319,000 acres of corn left to harvest. 

Wisconsin-based Agronomy Service Representative Nick Groth said corn yields in the state are average to slightly above average. He said the state average should be estimated at 182 bushels per acre (bpa). Eastern and northern Wisconsin were most impacted by the variable conditions the state felt throughout the growing season, Groth said. 

On and off rain and cloudy conditions in the state may have slightly slowed down harvest last week, but Groth said “the moisture was needed.”

Soybean Harvest and Yield

Soybean harvest is 99% complete in Wisconsin, USDA said. The harvest is 10 percentage points ahead of the five year average and well ahead of the same week in 2023, when 87% of the harvest was complete. According to data from USDA’s June Acreage Report, this leaves just 21,200 acres of soybeans still in the ground. 

Groth said he believes soybean harvesting is essentially complete in Wisconsin, and the yields in the state are “extremely variable” due to the year’s weather. Groth said soybean yields are hovering around 53 bpa on average, and around 5 bpa below average for some farmers. 

Well-drained ground performed better yield-wise this growing season, Groth said, with the wet weather early followed by dry weather as harvest neared. He said this could inform some farmers’ planning for 2025.

“If their budget allows, I think we could see more tile being installed as drainage really paid this spring,” Groth said.