Early Soybean Harvest Points to Strong Crop Results

By Scout Nelson

South Dakota’s soybean harvest is just beginning, with farmers reporting early signs of strong yields. Although harvest typically picks up in early October, some fields are already being cut as weather and crop maturity allow.

According to Anthony Bly, extension soils field specialist at South Dakota State University, growing conditions this season have been highly diverse. Some areas faced very dry conditions, while others struggled with too much rain. Despite these challenges, many farmers are seeing promising results.

Bly explains that the warmer, humid weather this year has pushed crop development ahead of schedule. Even though harvest is still in its early stages, farmers in regions like Minnehaha County are already reporting yields near 65 bushels per acre. For some farmers, this is at least 15 bushels higher than last year’s harvest.

“From far too dry to extremely too wet, somewhere in between, there's going to be some really good soybean yields,” Bly told the South Dakota Soybean Network.

Diseases are also present in certain fields, but overall, Bly says the state can expect positive results. He adds that the northeastern part of South Dakota, which has faced wetter conditions, may have more uncertainty in its final yields.

Farmers remain hopeful as reports of good crops continue to come in. With the harvest just starting, the final statewide average remains unclear. Still, Bly believes that many areas hold strong potential.

“Boy, yeah, there's a lot of good beans in a lot of areas. So, it's going to be really interesting to see what the overall average for South Dakota is,” he said. “I don't think I have that number because there's so much variability out there.”

As more combines hit the fields in the coming weeks, South Dakota farmers will gain a clearer picture of how the season’s diverse conditions balance out.

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