The Pro Farmer Midwest crop tour, a significant annual agricultural event, has made a striking discovery this year: the corn and soybean crops of the US Midwest are displaying considerable variability as they approach the harvest season. A record number of scouts, facing scorching temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, embarked on the tour to provide firsthand insights.
Nebraska’s crops paint a different picture. Soybeans in the state were estimated at 1,160 pods within the same 3-foot square area, up 9.05% from last year but down 3.01% from the three-year average. The corn yield, while up 5.48% from 2022 at 167.22 bushels per acre, is still 2.78% below the state's three-year average.
While the numbers give a quantitative perspective, the qualitative observations made by the scouts are even more enlightening. One scout remarked on the drastic differences in crop conditions observed just miles apart. In Nebraska, for instance, while some fields flaunted flourishing corn yields and lush soybeans, others were plagued by signs of distress, like white mold, and withered crops.
The variability of crop health has been unparalleled, according to Chip Flory, the editorial director for Pro Farmer Farm Journal media. He stressed that the upcoming days are pivotal for the soybean crop. While rain can be beneficial, the forecasted conditions over the next three days might be detrimental.
Sadly, in several Nebraskan fields, the corn has passed the point of revival, as ears have dropped from dried-out stalks. A local farmer shared that parts of eastern Nebraska faced challenges like drought, wind damage, and ammonia burn earlier in the season.
In Indiana, soybeans show promise. Scouts estimated approximately 1,310 pods within a 3-foot square area. This is an improvement of 12.35% from the previous year and is 6.59% higher than the three-year average. Indiana’s corn yield is also looking good, with estimates sitting at 180.89 bushels per acre. This is a 1.71% increase from 2022, albeit a slight dip of 1.54% from the three-year average.
As the tour proceeds, scouts continue their assessments, with the western team in Nebraska City and the eastern team in Bloomington, Illinois. Both are set to converge in Iowa, keenly observing and reporting on the heart of America’s farmland.
Photo Credit: getty-images-elhenyo
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Soybeans