Strong soybean, corn crop could create storage problem

From staff and wire reports

Corn and soybean producers in Missouri are expecting big harvests this fall -- in one regard, perhaps too big.

A mild summer combined with lots of rain during the growing season made for what appear to be record soybean and corn crops in the state, officials with the Missouri Department of Agriculture said Friday. The problem is what to do with it all.

"A big crop is the kind of problem we like to have," said Peter Hofherr, director of the state agriculture department.

Elevators and storage facilities are expected to fill up. Agriculture officials said some crops will need to be stored in temporary places, usually covered outdoors but sometimes in barns or other buildings.

About 418 million bushels of corn are expected to be harvested in Missouri, said Gene Danekas, statistician for the agriculture department. That's 38 percent more than last year and above the record 396 million bushels of 2000.

As for soybeans, agriculture officials project 188 million bushels, 31 percent above last year's crop and just above the record of 186 million bushels in 2001.

A successful harvest is also expected in Southeast Missouri.

"We have a pretty big corn crop this year and the bean crop looks to be pretty good too," said David Reinbott, agriculture business specialist at the University of Missouri Extension office in Benton.

According to Gerald Bryan, the agronomy specialist at the university extention office in Jackson, last year Cape Girardeau County had its best corn yields and it looks like the yields this year will reach those levels or surpass them.

Bryan and Reinbott said the summer weather is the reason for the abundant crops.

"It wasn't too hot. It was excellent growing weather," Reinbott said.

While farmers in Southeast Missouri may be expecting a big harvest, Bryan and Reinbott said there should be no problem with storage facilities overflowing because of the area's proximity to the Mississippi River.

"A lot of the crops are moved and exported out quickly. I don't think they store grain very long anyway," Reinbott said.

An Army Corps of Engineers proposal calls for shortening the Missouri River navigation season by 47 days, potentially meaning that crops may have to remain in storage even longer than usual.

But Bryan said that Southeast Missouri should not be greatly affected by a shortened navigation season.

Staff writer Kathryn Alfisi contributed to this report.