The last of the spring cereal crops to be cut could prove the hardest. Good progress was made in fields last week, but wet weather put a stop to work in many places over the weekend and early this week. Heavy rain and showers are making ground conditions difficult to work on.

While some crops are still a few days away from being ready for the combine, others need to be cut as soon as possible.

Spring barley yields are now down around the 2t/ac mark for many with crops under 2t/ac as well. There are reports that some of the later-sown spring barley is meeting malting barley specifications.

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Spring oats is another crop which awaits cutting on many farms and provides a premium for many farmers where they are sold for food-grade.

Many straw crops were gathered behind the combine last week, but some crops still remain on the ground. Demand for straw remains high as straw yields are back significantly with some farmers reporting less than four 4X4 round bales per acre.

Spring beans and peas are also due for harvest. Early-sown beans are ready for cutting for many and yields look to be around the 2t/ac mark.

April-sown beans are still a few weeks away from being ready for cutting. In the meantime, some tillage farmers are looking ahead to next year and planting oilseed rape.