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HARTINGTON — Nebraska’s 2025 corn and soybean harvest is off to a slow start, with both crops trailing their usual pace and farmers watching weather, and markets closely as they move into the thick of harvest season.
As of late September, only about 11% of the state’s corn has been harvested, compared with a typical 16% to 17% at this point, according to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s CropWatch. Soybeans are also about 11% harvested, behind last year and the five-year average. Corn development is slightly behind normal, with about 92% of fields dented and only 64% fully mature, compared with roughly 77% mature a year ago.
Despite the delay, Nebraska is still poised for a potentially huge corn crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s September forecast projects 1.96 billion bushels of corn, up about nine percent from last year and possibly a state record. Corn acreage for grain is estimated at 10.3 million acres, up more than seven percent year-over-year, with an average yield projected at 191 bushels per acre.
Soybean production is expected to dip slightly to 292 million bushels, down about 2.8% from 2024, largely due to an eight percent drop in planted acreage. Average soybean yield is forecast at 61 bushels per acre, about four bushels higher than last year.
Weather and field conditions have played a major role in slowing harvest progress. Late planting, scattered heavy rains and wet soils have delayed dry-down in some areas. Agronomists say disease pressure is also influencing harvest timing. Tar spot and southern rust have been detected in corn across eastern Nebraska, while white mold and sudden death syndrome have appeared in soybeans, especially in irrigated fields. Stalk rot and weakened standability are prompting warnings, some fields may need to be harvested sooner to avoid lodging losses. Hail and wind damage in localized areas have further complicated conditions.
Market conditions add another layer of uncertainty.
Corn prices are hovering near $3.90 per bushel and soybeans around $10.10, levels that could challenge profitability given high input costs. Many producers are weighing whether to store grain in hopes of better winter prices or sell at harvest to cover expenses, all while trade tensions — especially with China, a key buyer of Nebraska grain — cloud export prospects.
Extension educators are also stressing harvest safety as producers work long hours to catch up. Farmers are reminded to check brakes, lights and shields before entering fields and to use proper lighting and slow-moving vehicle emblems when traveling rural roads. Combines and other equipment should be approached only where operators can see approaching workers or visitors.
