Run Details

State

Completed

Started At

October 14, 2026 at 03:17 PM

Completed At

October 14, 2026 at 03:18 PM

Duration

1 minute

Headline

Southern Illinois Farm Brings in Bees for Perfect Pumpkins

Data Preview

{
  "title": "Southern Illinois Farm Brings in Bees for Perfect Pumpkins",
  "filter": {
    "keywords": [],
    "match_mode": "any",
    "match_fields": [
      "title",
      "description"
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    "semantic_filter": true
  },
  "source": "youtube",
  "channel": {
    "url": "https://www.youtube.com/@FarmJournal",
    "title": "Farm Journal",
    "handle": "farmjournal",
    "channel_id": "UCqTizkFSbhBojVtIkjMEoZQ"
  },
  "matched": true,
  "insights": {
    "risks": [
      "Rain delays in September (for harvest)",
      "Mid-season weather challenges (dryness in July/August)",
      "White mold in soybeans",
      "Purple beans",
      "Beans sprouting in the pod",
      "Ear molds in corn (due to wet September)",
      "Mild standability issues in corn",
      "Rain slowing down harvest progress"
    ],
    "topics": [
      "Corn harvest",
      "Soybean harvest",
      "Crop yields",
      "Weather impacts on crops",
      "Crop quality issues",
      "Harvest progress",
      "Farm management"
    ],
    "summary": "Farmers in Northwest Iowa are reporting similar corn and soybean yields to last year's record crops, despite mid-season dryness and a wet September. Quality issues like white mold and sprouting were noted in soybeans, but late rains helped overall. Corn yields are generally strong, with later-maturing hybrids performing better due to September rains and a lack of Southern rust. Other regions like Minnesota and Illinois also report good soybean yields, while corn yields vary, with some below average and others better than expected.",
    "entities": [
      {
        "name": "Iowa",
        "type": "region",
        "context": "Northwest Iowa harvest report"
      },
      {
        "name": "Matt McCarthy",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Newell, Iowa, reporting on yields and conditions"
      },
      {
        "name": "Corn",
        "type": "commodity",
        "context": "Harvest yields and conditions"
      },
      {
        "name": "Soybeans",
        "type": "commodity",
        "context": "Harvest yields and conditions"
      },
      {
        "name": "Minnesota",
        "type": "region",
        "context": "Harvest report"
      },
      {
        "name": "Chris Schenk",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Mankato, MN, reporting on yields"
      },
      {
        "name": "Illinois",
        "type": "region",
        "context": "Harvest report"
      },
      {
        "name": "Cody White",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Maroa, IL, reporting on harvest progress"
      },
      {
        "name": "Chris Harrell",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Carthage, IL, reporting on harvest progress"
      },
      {
        "name": "Pat Sheldon",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Percival, IA, reporting on harvest progress"
      },
      {
        "name": "Nebraska",
        "type": "region",
        "context": "Bordering Pat Sheldon's farm"
      },
      {
        "name": "Darrick Burnikel",
        "type": "person",
        "context": "Farmer in Cresco, IA, reporting on harvest progress"
      },
      {
        "name": "Wyffels Hybrids",
        "type": "organization",
        "context": "Sponsor of the tour"
      },
      {
        "name": "Southern rust",
        "type": "concept",
        "context": "Absence of this disease helped corn crop"
      },
      {
        "name": "White mold",
        "type": "concept",
        "context": "Quality issue in soybeans"
      },
      {
        "name": "Purple beans",
        "type": "concept",
        "context": "Quality issue in soybeans"
      },
      {
        "name": "Sprouting in the pod",
        "type": "concept",
        "context": "Quality issue in soybeans"
      },
      {
        "name": "Ear molds",
        "type": "concept",
        "context": "Quality issue in corn"
      }
    ],
    "sentiment": "mixed",
    "confidence": 0.9,
    "key_points": [
      {
        "point": "Dry weather last week allowed farmers to accelerate harvest after September rain delays.",
        "timestamp": "00:01",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Matt McCarthy in Northwest Iowa is finding similar corn and soybean yield results to last year's record crops.",
        "timestamp": "00:22",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "McCarthy's farm received nearly 10 inches of rain in September, which was a double-edged sword for soybeans.",
        "timestamp": "00:39",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Quality issues in soybeans include white mold, purple beans, and some beans sprouting in the pod, but no rejections have occurred.",
        "timestamp": "00:48",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "McCarthy is selling soybeans directly off the combine to a local crush plant and is not receiving quality discounts.",
        "timestamp": "01:04",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Late rains in September actually helped soybean yields more than they hurt.",
        "timestamp": "01:17",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Soybean yields for McCarthy are running 65 to 85 bushels per acre, with longer-term cornfields rotated to beans outproducing rotated fields.",
        "timestamp": "01:21",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "This year's soybean yields are about the same as last year's record yields.",
        "timestamp": "01:41",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Corn yields are mirroring last year's record, running 15 to 20 bushels above his farm APH, despite receiving less rain during July than in 2025.",
        "timestamp": "01:49",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Corn yields are generally in the 225 to 240 bushels per acre range, with potential for better yields in later maturity.",
        "timestamp": "01:59",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Late corn hybrids pollinated after the July heat and dryness and benefited from September rains, versus the early corn.",
        "timestamp": "02:16",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "The corn crop this year is more consistent due to the absence of Southern rust.",
        "timestamp": "02:37",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Some ear molds are appearing in corn due to the wet September.",
        "timestamp": "02:53",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "There is some 106-day corn hand-shelling at 15.5-15.8% moisture and 113-day corn at 17-18% moisture, indicating quick dry down.",
        "timestamp": "03:06",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "There is more optimism regarding profit levels this year compared to last fall.",
        "timestamp": "03:20",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Chris Schenk in Mankato, MN, finished soybean harvest with yields about 10% above his 62 bushels per acre farm average.",
        "timestamp": "03:30",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Chris Schenk started corn harvest on Monday, and the crop is drying down fast due to heat and wind.",
        "timestamp": "03:37",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Cody White in Maroa, IL, is harvesting at full speed with little rain, and most farmers in his area will finish beans this week.",
        "timestamp": "03:44",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Cody White's corn yields are below actual production history (APH).",
        "timestamp": "03:51",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Chris Harrell in Carthage, IL, finished bean harvest on Monday with yields slightly higher than his five-year average.",
        "timestamp": "03:56",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Chris Harrell has about five days left of corn harvest; corn yields are lower than last year, but May-planted corn is yielding higher.",
        "timestamp": "04:00",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Pat Sheldon near the Nebraska border in Iowa has about three weeks left of harvest, having picked 500 acres of corn and switched to soybeans.",
        "timestamp": "04:10",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Pat Sheldon's yields have been good on both corn and soybeans, but rain is slowing down progress.",
        "timestamp": "04:19",
        "importance": "medium"
      },
      {
        "point": "Darrick Burnikel in Cresco, IA, had a successful week of harvest with promising soybean yields and better-than-expected corn yields.",
        "timestamp": "04:24",
        "importance": "high"
      },
      {
        "point": "Darrick Burnikel's corn moisture has come down to under 20%.",
        "timestamp": "04:31",
        "importance": "medium"
      }
    ],
    "trade_ideas": [],
    "price_levels": [],
    "time_horizon": "short_term",
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    "data_references": [
      {
        "value": "nearly 10 inches",
        "metric": "September rainfall",
        "period": "September",
        "source": "Matt McCarthy (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "65 to 85",
        "metric": "Soybean yields",
        "source": "Matt McCarthy (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "225 to 240",
        "metric": "Corn yields",
        "source": "Matt McCarthy (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "15.5, 15.8%",
        "metric": "106-day corn moisture",
        "source": "Matt McCarthy (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "17, 18%",
        "metric": "113-day corn moisture",
        "source": "Matt McCarthy (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "10% above average",
        "metric": "Soybean yields vs. average",
        "source": "Chris Schenk (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "62 bushels per acre",
        "metric": "Farm average soybean yield",
        "source": "Chris Schenk (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "500 acres",
        "metric": "Corn acres harvested",
        "source": "Pat Sheldon (farmer)"
      },
      {
        "value": "under 20%",
        "metric": "Corn moisture",
        "source": "Darrick Burnikel (farmer)"
      }
    ],
    "match_reasoning": "The video substantively discusses corn and soybean harvest conditions and yields across multiple regions, as requested."
  },
  "video_id": "BwyVZZ_UawE",
  "video_url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwyVZZ_UawE",
  "transcript": "As those numbers reflect, dry weather last week allowed farmers to hammer down on harvest after rain delays in September. And Michelle Rook found the same trend in Northwest Iowa. Now she shows us the early yield results there as part of our Harvest Your Independence Tour. Last year here in Northwest Iowa, farmers harvested record corn and soybean crops. And much to his surprise, this year Matt McCarthy is finding similar yield results. As the harvest started, McCarthy was expecting a smaller crop than a year ago due to mid-season weather challenges. We were dry during July and uh, you know, we didn't get an abundant amount of rain in August. That was followed by a wet September where McCarthy's farm received nearly 10 inches of rain. It was a double-edged sword for soybeans. So Matt, what quality issues have you seen? Well, some of the white mold, some of the purple beans, uh, some some beans starting to uh, um, sprout in the pod. Um, that's probably the majority of it, but I don't know anybody that's been rejected or had any issues uh that way. McCarthy was selling his beans right off the combine and hauling them to the local crush plant. To plant them crush, now to processor. And he wasn't getting any discounts for quality. So he thinks the late rains actually helped more than they hurt. What are these soybean yields running like for you? I would say 65 to, you know, the the 80 to 85, um, if it was a a longer term cornfield and they went to a bean crop, so it's had, you know, three to five, six years of corn and then beans. Uh, they always, you know, will outproduce the the rotated fields. Is that better than last year? Uh, so far about the same. I would say about the same. McCarthy had record soybean yields last year, and the same was true for corn. This year's corn yields are mirroring that, running 15 to 20 bushels above his farm APH, despite receiving less rain during July than in 2025. But I would say probably 225 to 240 catches probably the bulk of it. There's going to be some stuff better, but we haven't gotten to the late later maturity yet either, so. Uh, I think as we get later, maybe it'll get better, but we'll find out if the if the corn put the weight on like we thought maybe from the late rain. The late hybrids also pollinated after the heat and dryness in July and picked up September rains versus the early corn. We had a lot of tip back in the 109 through 14-day corn. It was a lot hotter, it was drier in July when it was pollinating and and having its grain fill, so did we have less kernels than a year ago? But the big difference or offset this year has been a more consistent corn crop in the absence of Southern rust. I don't think we have the huge swings of the of the lower yields because of the rust and those issues, but we don't have that didn't get the rust. Still with the wet September, some ear molds are showing up in corn. The key now is to get the crop harvested with mild standability issues and quick dry down. It's been a a hot one with some wind and so there was some 106-day corn that's hand shelling at 15.5, 15.8, so and even the 113-day is 17, 18%. So it's going to be a race to get it. So profit levels last fall versus this fall, how do they compare? I think there's probably more optimism this year. In Northwest Iowa, I'm Michelle Rook reporting for Ag Day. Well, near Mankato, Minnesota, Chris Schenk finished up soybean harvest on Sunday. Yields ran 10% above his farm average of 62 bushels per acre. He started combining corn on Monday, and he says the crop is drying down fast with heat and wind. In Maroa, Illinois, Cody White is running full speed ahead. Now he has had little rain to slow him down, and most of the farmers in his area will be done with beans by the end of this week. Corn yields are below actual production history. Well, Chris Harrell in Carthage, Illinois, finished beans on Monday. His soybean yields are slightly higher than his five-year average. He has about five days left of corn harvest, and his corn yields are lower than last year, but corn planted in May is yielding higher. Well, now if we move over to Iowa, Pat Sheldon farms near the Nebraska border, and he has about three weeks left of harvest. Now, Sheldon picked 500 acres of corn, and he just switched to soybeans on Monday. His yields have been good on both, but rain is slowing down progress. In Northeast Iowa, Darrick Burnikel had a fantastic week of harvest. Soybean yields are looking great, and early reports on corn sound good too. Corn moisture has come down to under 20%, and yields are better than expected so far. The Plant Your Independence Tour is brought to you by Wyffels Hybrids. At Wyffels, we've made a choice, a choice to remain independent, a choice to remain farm family owned, a choice to stay American. So when it's time to make your choice, make a statement. Plant Your Independence, Plant Wyffels.",
  "description": "As you get ready to carve that seasonal pumpkin, you may not know that honeybees could have sweetened the growth of that gourd. Illinois farmers describe their special helpers.",
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  "published_at": "2026-10-14T14:57:40Z",
  "thumbnail_url": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BwyVZZ_UawE/hqdefault.jpg",
  "reporting_date": "2026-10-14",
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