For some area farmers, the question is when will we start harvest, let alone finish it! Rains continue as they have since April so "challenging harvest" is an understatement. Last Monday's USDA reports indicate nearly 10.4 billion bushels of corn and 1.82 bushels of soybeans awaiting harvest. In Illinois we are 14% corn harvested compared to a 77% average. For soybeans 33% harvested compared to an 86% average. Reports are filtering in on deteriorating quality conditions. The Republican River Valley of Nebraska has the top three inches of unharvested ears rotting off and falling on the ground. Southwestern Arkansas grower Jim Caswell said, "We've had 28 inches of rain here since October 1. There is a big farmer down here who's disking under 7,000 acres of corn because it has such bad mold that the elevator won't take it anymore…and it had been yielding 185 bushels per acre."

The Champaign County Corn and Soybean Marketing Club has re-scheduled our November 2 meeting to December 14 with the optimistic hope that we will be harvesting next week. There are a number of agriculture related meetings on the horizon:

• Monday, November 2 Champaign County Marketing Club rescheduled to December 14.
• Monday, November 30 Pesticide Safety and Education Program in the auditorium at 9 a.m. This program offers education and testing for the area private applicators. Register online.
• Monday, November 30 Champaign County Corn and Soybean Marketing Club will meet at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Guest analyst is Dave Janson of Strategic Farm Marketing of Champaign.
• Tuesday, December 1 & Wednesday, December 2 Inaugural AgMasters Conference at the I-Hotel, Champaign. The latest information on crop production and protection at this two day conference. Registration information at www.cropsciconferences.org.
• Monday, December 14 Illinois Farm Economic Summit. The latest on the present state of the Illinois agricultural economy at five locations throughout the state beginning in Champaign December 14. Registration information at www.farmdoc.illinois.edu.
• Monday, December 14 Champaign County Corn and Soybean Marketing Club at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Guest analyst will be Brian Maple of F.C. Stone of Indianapolis.
• Monday, January 4 Champaign County Corn and Soybean Marketing Club at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. U of I Extension Ag. Economist Darrel Good will review the 2010 outlook for grain markets.
• Friday January 8 Corn Soy Classic at the I-Hotel in Champaign. The latest crop protection information for ag producers. Other area locations are on January 11 in Springfield or January 12 in Bloomington. Registration information at www.cropsciconferences.org.