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According to US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, as of 25 September, 72% of the United States’ soya beans were at leaf drop, near the normal of 86%. The near-term forecast is for continued warm temperatures, so most soya beans should reach or be near maturity, according to Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University agricultural engineer and grain drying expert.

“There is considerable variation this year due to the challenging spring, variation in rainfall, planting date, maturity rating and growing degree days, so it is important to check each field,” Hellevang says.

Soya bean moisture content in the field will fluctuate depending on drying conditions and air humidity. Moisture content can increase by several points with an overnight dew or rain event, and it can decrease by several points during a day with low humidity and windy conditions.

He recommends that producers try to harvest as much of their crop as possible before the moisture level falls below 11%. Producers will receive the best price for their soya beans when the moisture content is 13%. Prices will be discounted for beans at moisture contents exceeding about 13%, and beans are prone to storage problems at higher moisture contents.

Because harvest losses increase dramatically when the moisture content is below 11%, harvesting during high humidity or damp conditions may reduce shatter loss, according to Hellevang.

Soya beans at 11% to 12% moisture have similar storage characteristics as wheat or corn at about 13,5% to 14,5% moisture, and 13% moisture soya beans might be expected to store the same way as about 15,5% moisture corn. The 13% moisture content is adequate for winter storage, but for summer storage, the moisture content should be closer to 11%.