The weather has taken a toll on this particular U.S. crop

In this May 23, 2019 photo, farm land near Louise, Miss., is covered with backwater flooding. Normally there would be cotton or corn or soybean crops in the rows. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The uncertainty of the 2019 corn and soybean season – caused by rain and flooding early – is reflected in the latest figures released Thursday in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE). 

The WASDE’s estimated soybean yield fell to 3.550 billion bushels, “mainly on lower yields,” according to the report. That’s a 14.4% drop from just four months ago (4.150 billion bushels). 

The soybean yield hasn’t been that low for a season since 2013, when it was 3.357 billion bushels. 

The WASDE’s estimated corn yield also fell, though just to 13.779 billion bushels from 13.799. Still, that’s an 8.3% falloff from the initial estimate in May (15.03 billion bushels).

AccuWeather analysts estimated the national soybean yield will be 3.572 billion bushels and the corn yield will be 13.432 billion bushels. 

“If the [WASDE] numbers are right, maybe farmers were too busy planting corn late to try to get soybeans planted in time,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls. 

Farmers in the northwest of the U.S. Corn Belt are dealing with a storm that has brought snow to the eastern and central portions of the Dakotas, as well as western Minnesota. The storm figures to delay harvesting and affect corn and soybean yield in the area. 

In Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, corn harvested is at less than 3%, according to the USDA’s latest Crop Progress report. Those same four states are also substantially behind in soybeans harvested, with North Dakota at just 8% compared to its five-year average of 48%.