Soybean Harvest Picking Up, but Growers Weary from Weather and Trade

(NTV ABC) – Farmers race the clock, trying to get some crops harvested before the weather changes.

Michael Bergen started about like normal, but many are 7-10 days behind schedule.

Even he is seeing beans with a little more moisture than he’d like.

“They have dried down a little bit, but have a way to go,” he said.

But he was ready to roll, with rain in the forecast.

“There’s nothing quite like reaping what you sow,” he said.

According to the USDA NASS, Nebraska soybean harvest is now just 6 percent complete; Last year, a quarter of beans had been harvested at this point.

But given the delays planting, that’s no surprise.

Bergen said, “With the weather and the flooding this spring throughout the corn belt and Nebraska and told that off with trade and tariffs, market conditions, it’s just been a tough year.”

While he’s got deep roots in the area, he took an unconventional path to the farm.

“I consider myself a first-generation farmer. Did not grow up on the farm,” he said.

He grew up in cowboy boots, and has spent 13 years farming with help from his uncle, where he’s has seen record profitability, and now hopefully the sharp decline as farm income has plummeted.

“Gotta have a steel gut to be able to do this, especially in tough times but if you love to do it, you’ll do it through thick or thin,” he said.

He said there’s money to be made in the corn market, but soybeans have been tough.

“This crop year I’ve not had a marketing day I could sell beans for a break even,” Bergen said.

He likes soybeans as part of his crop rotation. But the loss of China stings.

“Ultimately what it comes down to, we do grow the best product, best agricultural products throughout the world. I think we will have buyers come to the table but we will see a little blood before it happens,” he said.

This is the start of about six weeks on the combine.

“It’s drawn out, but it’s our payday,” he said.

But unfortunately that payday, at least on soybeans, won’t pay for much this year.