OFFICIALS AT THE U.K. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER IN PRINCETON SAY THAT KENTUCKY'S SOYBEAN HARVEST YIELD ESTIMATE FOR SEPTEMBER WAS DOWN 8 PERCENT FROM AUGUST BUT UP 69 PERCENT OVER LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE INCREASE IS DUE TO GREATER YIELDS PER ACRE AND MORE ACREAGE IN SOYBEANS. ON THE SURFACE THE NUMBER SOUNDS IMPRESSIVE UNTIL THE POOR YIELDS OF 2007 ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
      THOUGH ON THE WHOLE, THIS YEAR FARMERS HAVE NOT BEEN HIT WITH THE HORRENDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS OF 2007, THE 2008 SEASON FOR DOUBLE-CROP AND FULL -SEASON SOYBEANS HAS BEEN BOOK ENDED BY EXTREMES: COOL WEATHER AND AN OVERABUNDANCE OF RAIN IN THE SPRING AND A LATE SUMMER DROUGHT. THIS MEANS THAT WHERE PLANTING WAS RAIN-DELAYED, CROPS HIT THEIR REPRODUCTIVE STRIDE JUST AS THE PRECIPITATION DRIED UP.  
       JAMES HERBEK, UK GRAIN CROPS SPECIALIST SAYS THE DOUBLE CROP BEANS ARE BEING AFFECTED QUITE DRASTICALLY BY A LACK OF RAINFALL, PARTICULARLY DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. HERBEK DOUBTS IF AVERAGE YIELDS THIS YEAR WILL BE NEARLY AS BAD AS LAST YEAR, BUT THEY STILL WON'T REACH THE NORMAL STATE AVERAGE RANGE OF 40-45 BUSHELS PER ACRE.