Key facts
- Corn yields in Nebraska are forecast at 163.61 bushels per acre, down 5.6% from the three-year average.
- Indiana corn yields are forecast at 183.54 bushels per acre, down 2.1% from the three-year average.
- Nebraska soybean pod counts are forecast at 1,219.61 per 3ft-by-3ft plot, down 0.6% from the three-year average.
- Indiana soybean pod counts are forecast at 1,318.64 per 3ft-by-3ft plot, down 3.4% from the three-year average.
- The tour observed heat-related pollination issues and scant rainfall in Nebraska.
- The USDA's current forecasts for Nebraska and Indiana corn and soybean yields are higher than the Pro Farmer tour's indications.
Yield indications for corn and soybeans in Nebraska and Indiana were below their three-year averages during the second day of the US Pro Farmer crop tour, suggesting lower production for the 2026 US harvest. The tour surveyed fields moving east in Nebraska and west into Illinois from Indiana. Corn yields in Nebraska were forecast to be down by 5.6% from the three-year average at 163.61 bushels per acre, and in Indiana, the tour results produced a forecast down by 2.1% from the three-year average at 183.54 bushels per acre. These figures contrast with the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) current forecasts, which predict higher yields for both states. Soybean pod counts in Nebraska were down 0.6% from the three-year average at 1,219.61, and in Indiana, they were down 3.4% at 1,318.64, also differing from USDA projections. Heat-related pollination issues, tip-back, and scant rainfall since early July impacted Nebraska's crops, though irrigated areas fared better. An increase in corn-on-corn planting was also noted, typically leading to lower yields. Heavy rains also caused standing water in some Indiana soybean fields. Increased weed pressure was reported across many fields. The tour's findings for Nebraska's corn crop indicated the lowest ear count since 2013. The survey is set to continue into Iowa and across Illinois.