Harkin says increase in fall crop not good news for farmers

The hot summer weather did less damage than expected and now record corn and soybean harvests are forecast. While that would normally be seen as good news, grain prices are low and exports are weak. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says it’ll translate to a lot of financial stress for farmers this winter.Harkin blames the “failed” Freedom to Farm Act for bankrupting many growers. He says Iowa farmers received more money from the government last year than they did from their cash crops. Harkin says that’s not healthy.The U-S-D-A estimates the corn harvest will hit 10-point-4 billion bushels, while soybeans will reach 2-point-9-billion. That’s about a ten percent increase for each crop from last year.