Fall harvest winds down across Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Favorable weather last week helped farmers move closer to finishing the fall harvest, the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday. Farmers averaged 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork, the service said. Topsoil moisture ratings were 12 percent very short, 28 percent short, 58 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. The corn crop is 96 percent harvested, 18 days ahead of last year and five days ahead of average. Farmers also are moving ahead of schedule on the soybean harvest, with 91 percent of the crop harvested, three weeks ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of average. Sorghum is 92 percent harvested, and 97 percent of the cotton crop is out of the fields -- about three weeks ahead of last year for both crops. The winter wheat crop was 92 percent planted, about three weeks ahead of last year and more than two weeks ahead of average.

Pasture conditions are listed as 15 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 22 percent good and 2 percent excellent.