I-80 Harvest Tour: Indiana Corn and Soybean Yield Averages Look Below 2021

The harvest continues to roll at near record pace in Indiana and it looks like statewide yield averages will be down for both corn and soybeans. 

It’s a function of drought in June and July that resulted in a 10-inch moisture deficit on Chuck Shelby’s farm and heat which caused significant tip back on the corn.   Shelby, who farms near Lafayette says, "Although we weren't as hot as the western states were still a lot of 95, 97-degree days a long run of those. So that I think impacted the abortion on the end of the kernels. So, it's kind of a factor this year that is probably where the biggest yield loss is."

He says late season tar spot also trimmed some bushels and so corn yields are above 200 bushels for Shelby and farmers across much of Indiana, but still below average.  "In our part of Indiana, the corn yields are 20, 25 bushels less than what we normally expect still happy with what the results the August rains really saved the crop.  But when you put into perspective what our expectations are normal yields. Were still a lot of farmers in Indiana are going to probably have crop insurance claims in Indiana because they have high APH just from some previous really, really good years."

Dubois, Indiana farmer Kevin Kalb says his farm also started out dry, but then the weather did a 180.  "Well, we had to a tale of two seasons this year you know we were extremely dry to in fact we were a record dry June and into May, June and first part of July and then we went from there to a record wet the rest of July and August and the first half of September. 1:10     So you know we basically had two seasons this year rolled up into one, from extreme dry to extreme wet."

Kalb runs strictly a corn-on-corn rotation and says his corn yields will be closer to his APH for 2022.  "So, I think we're going to be right there, and they are farm average APH you know, we were kind of concerned because the early stuff that we shelled was our normally our best ground or highest yielding and it was 30 to 40 bushels off. But then we started getting into more marginal ground and then they were 30 to 40 bushels better than it would normally."

They also sprayed with fungicide, which prevented the southern rust and tar spot prevalent around his area.  And there was some tip back, but it was offset by heavier test weights.  Kalb says, "We did abort probably four to five kernels on each year, but with a great grain fill with the cool weather that we had in July and August. You know, the corn evidently made up for it."

Southern Indiana was also hit by early frost, so Kalb had wet corn in the upper 20s he had to dry.  "We probably overall had the wettest crop we've ever had but you know we got $7 corn so we can live with a little bit of gas to pay for well worth it. "

Soybean yields on Shelby’s farm averaged about 6 bushels per acre less this year, and he says much of the state will see farm averages in the 50s and 60s compared to 70s last year.   "I think the yield, you know, certainly less than last year there were a few good pockets of Indiana, Northwest Indiana. That yields are probably as good or better. But for the majority of this state, really the impact was felt by that dry weather early on. Another factor to some of the double crop beans are impacted by frost so Southern Illinois, southern Indiana. That crop was hurt a little bit by an early freeze."

So, Shelby thinks USDA may need to lower both corn and soybean yields for Indiana in the November WASDE.  "Again, very few farmers in Indiana would say their crop is as good as last year. And remember again, previous USDA reports USDA lowered last year's yield and lowered acreage, so I think overall the Indiana yield still has room to come down."