COLUMBUS, Ohio – In what has become a theme for the 2021 harvest season, Ohio corn and soybean harvests were hampered by rains last week.

“Very soggy conditions kept combines out of the fields most of last week,” said Cheryl Turner, State Statistician for the USDA NASS Ohio field office. “There was a very small window where crops could be harvested and some growers were able to get some corn and soybeans harvested.”

Turner says that corn and soybean harvest are both behind their respective five-year averages. Ponding in some winter wheat fields caused drowned out spots. Wheat planting is far behind both last year and the five-year averages.

 “Some growers may not get intended wheat planted in time due to the wet conditions,” she said. “Low lying pasture conditions deteriorated.”

The harvest season started out very good in early October following a brief period of wetness to start the month. The first week of October saw well above normal temperatures, yielding near ideal harvesting conditions.

 “An early fall week with daytime temperatures in the mid-70 degree range allowed farmers to get a good jump on fall harvest and winter wheat planting early in October,” Turner said. “There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork at that time.”

In a NASS survey of farmers across Ohio’s 88 counties, 66 percent of the state’s subsoil moisture is rated at adequate, with a 30 percent surplus. The topsoil moisture, though, has a 42 percent surplus. The latter is keeping farmers out of the fields in some areas.

Crop progress is down in some areas from last year. Winter wheat planted stands at 80 percent, down from 95 percent this time last year. Similarly, winter wheat emerged is at 66 percent, down from 76 percent this time last season.

Soybeans harvested stands at 75 percent. It was at 76 percent this time last year. Corn harvested for grain is at 51 percent, up from 40 percent a year ago.

The average temperature for the week was 51.8 degrees Fahrenheit, 2.0 degrees above normal for the state. The statewide average precipitation was 2.22 inches, 1.78 inches above normal. There were just 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Oct. 31.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, says farmers should make great progress throughout the state as no rain is forecast until late Thursday, Nov. 11. Highs each day should be in the mid-60s.