Thanksgiving is usually a time to look back on harvest and give thanks for the year's crops. This year however, according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey, an awful lot of crops are still in the field.
"Starting with the corn harvest we've reached 89% nationally; that's eight points behind the five-year average," Rippey says. "Looking at the states that still have the greatest percentage of corn still left in the field, North Dakota only 53% harvested; that's 40 points behind average."
Other states with a substantial amount of corn left in the field include South Dakota, with 75% harvested; Nebraska with 82% harvested; Wisconsin 83% and Iowa with 86%.
Rippey says in addition to corn still in the field, cotton harvest is behind normal as well.
"With 73% harvested, that's three points behind the five-year average," Rippey says. "We do see harvest now having reached completion in Arkansas and Missouri. But we still have quite a bit of cotton in the field in Kansas; 35% harvested, the five year average is 51%, and Okalahoma at 56% versus 68% and even in California 85% versus 95%."