Soybean farmers on the mid-Eastern Shore are not optimistic about this year’s harvest. After a widespread drought damaged crops last year, hopes were raised by steady rain during this year’s planting. Unusually dry weather in August negated much of the good the earlier rain may have done. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Crop Reporting Service is forecasting an average soybean yield of 29 bushels per acre. The forecast amounts to five bushels less than last month’s estimate and just slightly better than last year’s average of 27 bushels per acre. Mid-Shore county farmers are reporting that the average in the first two weeks of harvesting has been less than the state average.