Key facts
- Minnesota's corn yield forecast was 199.01 bushels per acre, exceeding the three-year average by 8.7% and the USDA estimate.
- Minnesota's soybean pod count was 1,257.8, up 15% from the three-year average.
- Iowa's corn yield forecast was 193.98 bushels per acre, up 1.4% from the three-year average but below last year's tour results.
- Iowa's soybean pod count was 1,362.93, down 1.6% from the three-year average.
The Pro Farmer crop tour concluded its final day with a focus on Minnesota and Iowa. Yield indications for corn and soybeans in Minnesota suggest a better-than-expected harvest, with forecast corn yields exceeding the three-year average by 8.7% to 199.01 bushels per acre, surpassing the USDA's estimate. Soybean pod counts in Minnesota were also favorable, up 15% from the three-year average at 1,257.8.
In contrast, Iowa's final corn yield forecast was mixed, at 193.98 bushels per acre, a 1.4% increase from the three-year average but still 2.2% below last year's tour results. The USDA's current forecast for Iowa corn is significantly higher at 216 bushels per acre. Iowa's soybean crop results were more aligned with USDA projections, with pod counts at 1,362.93, down 1.6% from the three-year average.
Moving north into Minnesota, the tour observed fewer instances of crop disease and under-pollination. However, drought conditions were noted to have impacted the corn crop, resulting in generally shorter ear lengths. The soybean crop in Minnesota showed less evidence of drought compared to fields surveyed earlier in Iowa and Nebraska. Soil conditions across the surveyed areas were generally drier than optimal, with some reports of browning crops and nitrogen deficiency.