Weather Causes Early Harvest, Lower Crop Yields for Area Farmers

(KNSI) — The hot summer in central Minnesota is causing an early harvest.

Most crops are about two weeks ahead of schedule, and soybean fields are already past gold and losing their leaves, according to Local Extension Educator Tyler Rice.

Rice tells KNSI News that will cause yield troubles for feed supplies. “Some farmers are worried that the corn silage will actually be too dry. And that impacts things like feed storage, proper fermentation of the corn silage, and all things included in that process.”

Rice says silage goes mostly to dairy cattle in the area. Farmers are already getting creative by substituting hay and other forage crops to make up for any potential shortfall.

Lower yields should also be expected, as Rice explains the growing season was hit by a nasty combination of weather woes, causing havoc. “Whether it be in the beginning with crop seed that didn’t germinate, either properly or at the same time. Throughout the season, we really were lacking in water resources.”

Rice says that also led to irregular pollination, meaning the process wasn’t as efficient as normal.

Corn tassels represent the male portion of the plant. They release pollen that floats downward and is collected by silk strands connected to the female flowers. When the female reproductive cell is fertilized, it becomes a kernel. Many kernels were aborted and never properly developed.

The observed average temperature was 70.8 degrees, which was about average but 2.9 degrees above normal. The area also saw seven inches of rain, 4.35 inches below normal.

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