#Harvest25: Bumper Corn Harvest Hits 18% Completion Nationwide

Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joins us to share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2025 corn harvest.

WILL COUNTY, Ill. (RFD-TV)Corn harvest is well underway across the U.S., with 18 percent of the nation’s crop now in the bin—just one point shy of the five-year average. In Illinois, farmers are pushing forward with harvesting through favorable weather, hoping to capitalize on strong early yields despite ongoing cost pressures.

Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to share a boots-on-the-ground update.

In his interview with RFD-TV News, Kestel discussed the progress of his own operation and compared this year’s progress to previous harvest seasons. He also shared what he’s hearing from other producers in the region, highlighting both successes and challenges so far.

Among the concerns are high input costs, lower commodity prices, and the potential for storage capacity and shipping issues as larger-than-expected yields are harvested.

Kestel wrapped up by giving viewers a look at his family’s farm and the traditions that keep them going through another busy harvest season.

Related Stories
U.S. agriculture entered the week with mixed signals as weather, logistics, and markets shaped early-year decisions. Here is a regional breakdown of domestic crop and livestock production for the week of Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Trade volatility and shifting export destinations increase marketing risk for producers heading into 2026.
Rising rural business confidence supports local ag economies, but taxes and labor shortages remain key constraints.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer discusses how January’s WASDE report could impact ARC and PLC payments and updates on disaster relief programs as farmers navigate a challenging market environment.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Pork producers are making Veterans Day a little brighter for Iowa’s military families.
While there has been an increase in outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) this migration season, the CDC says the public health risk is low.
Cattle markets are collapsing this week, and analysts say that several factors are at play. Consumer beef prices also remain near all-time highs, threatening long-term demand.
If confirmed, early Chinese buys tighten nearby Gulf/PNW capacity and could bump basis in export-oriented regions.
Alan Bjerga, Senior Vice President of Communications with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), shares updates and resources available to dairy producers.
Culver’s Senior Marketing Manager Alison Demmer joins us to share the company’s deep-rooted partnership with FFA and ongoing commitment to support agriculture education.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.