Floods slow harvest

KANSAS HARVEST NUMBERS

2005 2004CORNState production forecast: 429 million bushelsYield per acre 130 bushels 150 bushelsAcres harvested 3.3 million 2.88 millionAcres planted 3.65 million 3.1 millionSORGHUMState production forecast: 187.5 million bushelYield per acre 75 bushels 76 bushelsAcres harvested 2.5 million 2.9 millionAcres planted 2.7 million 3.2 millionSOYBEANSState production forecast: 103.6 million bushelsYield per acre 37 bushels 41 bushelsAcres harvested 2.8 million 2.71 millionAcres planted 2.9 million 2.8 millionWHEATFinal 2005 state production: 380 million bushelsYield per acre 40 bushels 37 bushelsAcres harvested 9.5 million 8.5 millionAcres planted 10 million 10 million

SOURCE: Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service

Statewide, crops in early for 'so-so' year

By Jan Biles

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Neil Warner began combining a 24-acre field of soybeans north of Topeka on Thursday and took his last truckload of grain to an elevator the following afternoon.

A month ago, he had given up hope that the crop would ever be harvested. The soybeans were flattened in early October when water rose over the banks of a nearby creek and flooded three-fourths of the field.

"I was really surprised," Warner said of the resiliency of the soybean plants.

The crop ended up yielding 52.5 bushels an acre, not far from last year's 60 bushels an acre.

Although all but four acres of the soybeans bounced back, Warner said the plants were covered with dirt, which ended up damaging the bearings of his combine.

"I have a $500 repair bill from the dirt," he said.

Warner, who farms 750 acres by himself and also plants corn, sorghum and wheat, said this year's harvest has extended later into the fall.

"I'm usually done before Halloween," he said. "It's late because of the flooding and rain late in the year."

Eldon Thiessen, director of Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service, said the harvest of fall crops is "ahead of normal and lots ahead of last year." As of Thursday, 97 percent of the state's corn, 83 percent of its sorghum and 93 percent of its soybeans had been harvested.

Dean Davis, Shawnee County Extension agricultural agent, characterized 2005 as "not quite an average year for the farmer" and a "terrible" year for farmers whose fields were damaged by the October flooding.

"Water ran through soybean fields, and the corn got flat and couldn't be picked up with a combine," he said. "Some farmers get insurance, but it doesn't cover what the normal crop would be."

Soybean fields in Shawnee County that received little rain averaged 25 bushels an acre, while yields on better ground ranged from 35 to 50 bushels per acre, he said.

Early rains resulted in a loss of nitrogen for some corn crops, particularly those on hilly ground, Davis said. Corn yields ranged from 60 to 140 bushels an acre on dry land, with the county average around 105 bushels an acre.

"It was a so-so year," Davis said. "It was nothing like last year's, which was a super crop."

Thiessen said forecasted productions of corn, sorghum and soybeans in Kansas are behind last year's totals. Corn fields are expected to yield 429 million bushels, down less than 1 percent from 2004; sorghum, 187.5 million bushels, down 15 percent from 2004; and soybeans, 103.6 million bushels, down 7 percent from 2004.

Final wheat production totals indicate 380 million bushels were harvested this year, up about 21 percent from 2004.

Thiessen said 2.5 million acres of sorghum were harvested this year, the fewest number of acres since 1956. In 2004, 2.9 million acres of sorghum were cut.

Likewise, the number of acres devoted to planting sorghum was down: 2.7 million acres this year, from 3.2 million in 2004. Corn, on the other hand, received a boost, going from 3.1 million acres in 2004 to 3.65 million acres this year.

"Corn was up and sorghum was down in terms of acres planted," he said.

Thiessen said soybean fields are expected to produce another bumper crop this year.

"But it's still the second-largest crop on record," he said. "Last year was the biggest. It was a record year in Kansas and the United States."

Jan Biles can be reached at 295-1292 or jan.biles@cjonline.com.

Please see HARVEST, Page 8A

Continued from Page 1A

Harvest: Corn didn't recover after flooding

KANSAS HARVEST NUMBERS

While the price per bushel of soybeans and wheat is higher than it was last year, the price for corn and sorghum has fallen. Corn Sorghum Soybeans WheatPercent of harvest complete as of Nov. 10 97 83 93 100Price per bushel, mid-October 2005 $1.85 $2.76 $5.25 $3.52Price per bushel, September 2005 $2.10 $2.97 $5.51 $3.32Price per bushel, October 2004 $2.37 $2.97 $5.15 $3.19

SOURCE: Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service

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