FORT COLLINS, (Colo.): Harvest has begun for the US Crop Watch corn and soybeans and the surrounding areas, and the early results are mixed though distinctly disappointing in western Illinois.

The western Illinois producer began harvest on the Crop Watch corn Monday morning, and the yield expectation has plunged to 2.5 from 4.75 previously. That is consistent with other fields that were harvested in the immediate area over the last week. Each week the 11 Crop Watch producers offer yield expectations on a 1-to-5 scale with a 3 reflecting yield close to farm average, 4 solidly above, and 5 well above average or record yields.

The western Illinois reduction dropped the 11-field, un weighted average corn yield to 3.7 from 3.82 in the prior week because it was partly offset by half-point increases in Kansas and Indiana. No other changes were made to corn yield this week.

The western Illinois corn results were surprising because kernel and plant counts were strong and the weather was reasonably favorable. The area has battled a host of corn diseases, including tar spot, and that significantly lightened the test weight, something that can be hard to gauge prior to harvest.

The Kansas corn was harvested on Thursday with a final yield score of 3, slightly above the previously expected 2.5. The southeastern Illinois corn was also picked on Thursday and yield came in at the expected 5, the same as last year's field. The Kansas location went through a prolonged dry stretch in mid-summer, but the southeastern Illinois fields had largely ideal rainfall.

More than half of the Indiana soybeans were harvested Sunday evening, and the yield rating of 3 should hold.