Experts Reflect on 2024 Harvest Season

Harvest season is wrapping up across the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Crop Progress report — and wild weather swings were a big factor in yields and crop condition across much of the Corn Belt. 

Agronomists and experts from three states — Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois — provided their feedback and lessons learned from a chaotic growing season.

Almost Done With Harvest

All three states are on the cusp of finishing their corn harvests, according to state-specific Crop Progress reports. 

Iowa sits at 97% complete with corn harvesting, according to data from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This means that only 376,500 acres of corn in the state are unharvested, based on data from the June Acreage Report. 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said wet weather was needed in the state last week, despite harvest completion getting delayed in some areas.

“Even as harvest winds down across the state, farmers are still busy completing fall field work as conditions allow,” said Secretary Naig. “Though the rain has temporarily parked some combines and tractors, it has helped green up the cover crops and provided some replenishment for the parched soils and streams. Forecasts through the end of November indicate both seasonal temperatures and precipitation can be expected.”

Wisconsin has harvested 94% of its corn crop as of Nov. 17, according to NASS data. The state is 19 percentage points ahead of its progress at the same point in 2023, and well ahead of the five-year average of 74%. 

Illinois is also 97% complete with its corn crop harvest, NASS data said. Based on data from the USDA’s June Acreage Report, there are 322,000 unharvested acres of corn left in the state.

What Were the Biggest Issues of Growing Season?

Weather conditions both early and late in the growing season had a large impact on crops in the Corn Belt. Illinois-based Agronomy Service Representative Phil Krieg of Syngenta said perseverance in tending the crop when weather conditions get tough is an important lesson for farmers from this season. 

“Not giving up on the crop because of a dry and hot June,” Krieg said. “Too many growers stopped managing for high yields when June was not favorable. However, July brought good rains and Tar Spot in corn which we dealt with throughout the rest of the growing season.”

Krieg added that soybean weed management was another thing he noticed looking back, and said earlier herbicide application could have made a difference. 

“Too many late herbicide applications in soybeans after they were in the reproductive stage decreased yields,” Krieg said. 

In Wisconsin, Agronomy Service Representative Nick Groth of Syngenta said the early wet weather cut down yield possibilities in soybeans. He said dry weather after the initial wet weather compounded soybean yield woes in the state.

In corn, though, he said the consistent moisture was good for yields. Issues were still present early in the growing season, though, with rain causing some planted seeds to get washed out of their furrows.

2025 Advice for Farmers

Krieg said next year he believes it would be worth it for farmers to re-evaluate their weed control programs. He said “Spending more for a solid quality program at planting may save you more in the end,” and cautioned against what he called “hail mary herbicide passes.”

For corn specifically, he said tar spot and the weather conditions that set up favorably for the disease should be researched ahead of the growing season.

Weather and management strategies were key to Groth’s advice as well, as he emphasized preparation and pre-emergent herbicides as a way to “keep fields clean even if our post pass is delayed” since certain field diseases have proven tough to manage. Groth said he would encourage farmers to make fungicide a part of crop management strategies. 

“Utilizing a strong fungicide with proven plant health benefits, applied near the R1 timing, can deliver ROI regardless of disease pressure, and really protect you when major disease sets in,” Groth added.