Arkansas soybean harvest close to finish, Mississippi River at Memphis shrinks again

Oct. 21, 2026

By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Fast Facts

• Stiles: U.S. has sold 414 million bushels of soybeans to China so far
• Treadway: Cotton harvest could be done before Halloween

(625 words)

DOWNLOAD related file art of cotton field

Newsrooms: With Low river, lower prices: Mississippi disruptions hit Southern farmers hardest

JONESBORO, Ark. — While drought has sped Arkansas’ harvests this fall, it could slow grain exports through the lower Mississippi River.

“Fortunately for us, our harvest is about done,” said Scott Stiles, extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, referring to the Oct. 19 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Crop Progress Report. “Corn and rice have finished up. Soybeans are 87 percent done and cotton is 63 percent finished.”

Soybeans were well ahead of the five-year average of 69 percent. Cotton’s five-year average is 53 percent. 

“Cotton harvest progress took a near 20 percent jump from last week's report,” said Zachary Treadway, extension cotton and peanut agronomist for UADA. “The dry weather has allowed pickers to roll from early in the mornings to late at night.

Cotton harvest is rolling along in Arkansas. (UADA file photo).

“It has been a very kind harvest season,” he said. “I expect another large jump in next week's report. Reports are trending positive for both yield and quality from this year's cotton crop. Barring some unforeseen hiccup, I foresee cotton harvest wrapping up before Halloween.”

The weather also helped move peanuts to 34 percent harvested, but still behind the five-year average of 38 percent.

“Peanut harvest is moving along briskly as well,” Treadway said. “Yields have been down some this year, as was to be expected after the summer we had.”

The slower pace in harvest may have been due to uncertainty about whether a peanut processing facility in Jonesboro would continue to operate, Treadway said. Delta Peanut received a $5 million loan from the state to get through the 2026 season.

“There would be no need to dig the crop just to disc it under,” Treadway said. “I think if we would have had certainty going into harvest, we would be further along.

“The uncertainty on processing has cleared up for the time being, which has allowed the crop a place to go, and I think that has helped kick harvest into high gear as well,” Treadway said.

Dry weather

Dry weather this week has been a boon for the eastern Corn Belt. “It’s certainly welcome as they’ve been behind a bit on harvest due to repeated rain,” Stiles said.

Rainfall in the upper Midwest is important for shipping on the Mississippi River, which carries grain toward New Orleans for export. Over the past five years, low Mississippi River levels have impaired shipping and spiked shipping prices. UADA researchers have linked low Mississippi River levels to weakened basis for crops brought to elevators near the river. 

“The Mississippi River has not posed an issue for our growers this fall,” Stiles said. “However, a lengthy stretch of low river levels could hamper export movement of soybeans and other grains in the weeks ahead.”

Stiles said that for the week ending Oct. 15, 1.5 million metric tons of grain were exported from the Mississippi Gulf.

“Sixty-five percent of the total was soybeans and nearly 60 percent of the soybeans were headed to China, which is welcome news for Arkansas growers,” he said. “For the 2026 marketing year, the U.S. has sold just over 414 million bushels of soybeans to China, compared to zero at this time last year.”  

The Mississippi to the gulf also saw some wheat and corn exports last week. 

“Corn accounted for about 30 percent of export shipments last week,” Stiles said. “Most of it was headed to Colombia and Mexico. 

“U.S. corn export sales are struggling and are currently 33 percent behind last year,” he said. “However, the recent decline in corn prices is uncovering some fresh export demand as U.S. prices are becoming more competitive with Argentine values.”

On Monday, the river was at 5 feet but was forecast to drop to minus 4.2 feet by Nov. 4.

The record low of minus 12 feet for the Mississippi at Memphis, Tennessee, was set in 2023.

“The Mississippi River gauge at Memphis looks to fall into negative territory early next week,” Stiles said. “It’s something that bears watching during the peak U.S. grain export window.”

Resources:

• Mississippi River Dashboard
• Mississippi River level at Memphis
• Low water levels in the Mississippi River result in abnormally weak soybean basis
• When the river runs low, southern grain farmers pay the most

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu. 

About UADA

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, UADA conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.  

UADA is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three university campuses.   

Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, UADA offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution. 

# # # 

Media Contact:  
Nick Kordsmeier  
nkordsme@uada.edu