Pro Farmer Crop Tour
For more than 30 years, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts have been providing the agriculture industry with insights into potential corn and soybean production, gathering scout reports from 2,000+ fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.
The next Pro Farmer Crop Tour takes place August 17-20, 2026.
On the heels of Crop Tour, Pro Farmer projects corn yields at 6.1 bu. below USDA’s August estimate, while soybean yield numbers are nearly aligned.
The Minnesota corn crop is going for gold. Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts expect the crop will reach a record 202.86 bu. average, if it can outpace southern rust and tar spot. Scouts peg the Iowa corn crop at a 198.43 bu. average, but it also faces disease challenges.
Iowa could be the nation’s top state this year for corn and soybeans, but both crops are in a race to beat disease pressure that’s gaining momentum. Illinois corn continues to ride the struggle bus, while the soybean crop there is positioned to deliver high yields.
Markets saw a double-digit rally as USDA says the 2024 corn and soybean crops were not as big as originally projected.
Corn yield estimates in South Dakota are less than 1 bu. per acre lower than 2023 tour estimates while soybean pod counts are up. Ohio’s corn yield estimates are slightly lower than last year and soybean pod counts came in 1.84% lower.
On the heels of Crop Tour, Pro Farmer projects corn production below and soybean production above USDA estimates. Here’s the yield breakdown for seven Midwest states.
The fourth and final day of the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour wrapped up on Thursday, Aug. 22, with numbers from Minnesota and eastern Iowa samples combined for full Iowa results.
The Illinois corn crop didn’t quite meet USDA’s expectations of 225 bu./acre, but it hit 204.14 bu. At the same time, Iowa’s soybean crop is putting out big numbers.
The corn yield estimate in Indiana is nearly 7 bu. per acre above the 2023 tour estimate; the soybean estimate is up 7.56%. Nebraska’s corn yield estimate is just over 6 bu. per acre higher than last year, and the soybean estimate is up 1.07%.
The latest WASDE report from the USDA forecasts record-breaking yields in five of the states Pro Farmer Crop Tour will tour —Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Illinois could see an amazing average corn yield of 225 bu. per acre.
Crop Tour is a fact-finding mission with a goal of getting a strong, objective view of corn yield potential from one big field across seven states.
Nebraska, Minnesota and Iowa corn projections fall below USDA’s August estimates. Soybeans are on par in all scouted states, including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and South Dakota.
Lack of moisture and high-heat days have Iowa locals concerned about cannibalized stalks, while Illinois considers impacts of wildfire smoke and overnight temps.
Sudden death or their time to go? Soybeans dry up in Iowa as Minnesota corn faces burn up to the first leaf below ears.
The past four days of high heat and no moisture have taken a toll in the state with some farmers predicting corn yield lows of 140 bu. per acre. Some still anticipate 200-bu. plus yields. All they need is some rain.
This time last year, more than 36% of South Dakota was covered in drought. This year, that number dropped to 14%. Dry conditions did improve in the east, but some fear early season dryness could play out in coming weeks.
As scouts made their way through eastern Nebraska, the state’s extreme-to-exceptional drought conditions (15%) were obvious in corn. Scouts on the eastern leg saw more of a mixed bag for corn, including disease.
A fast-moving storm flattened crops on June 29, but the rain gave much needed relief to area crops and hope to farmers struggling to stay optimistic. Pro Farmer Crop Tour provides insights on how those crops look now.
First thing Tuesday, Pro Farmer Tour scouts saw Nebraska irrigated corn with 208 to 250 bu. yields. But a lot could change as they head into dryland corn. In the eastern Corn Belt, scouts are evaluating Indiana crops.
Out of the gate this morning, scouts saw a high of 208 bu/A for corn and a low of 92 bu/A. In the West, the initial report is positive for South Dakota with “better than last year” the key phrase scouts are repeating.
Pro Farmer Crop Tour’s data-gathering methods are disciplined, which produces consistent results. We break down the when, where, why and how behind the numbers.
The U.S. corn crop is consistently declining in condition. Currently 57% of the crop has a good or excellent rating, which ties with 2019 for the week’s worst corn condition rating since 2012.
Pro Farmer estimates the U.S. corn crop at 13.759 billion bushels, with an average yield of 168.1 bu. per acre, and the U.S. soybean crop at 4.535 billion bushels, with an average yield of 51.7 bu. per acre.
Tuesday’s Crop Tour trek through Nebraska and Indiana gave scouts a glimpse at the moderate to exceptional drought Mother Nature has brought down on soil and crops this growing season.
Extreme weather situations, including the annual Derecho, hit regions on the eastern leg earlier this year. While the eastern Corn Belt isn’t as dry as its western counterpart, yield potential looks lower than 2021.
USDA’s crop production report showed an increase in soybean yields, but a lower national corn yield. Analysts say Pro Farmer Crop Tour next will reveal more answers about this year’s crops and could be a market mover.
Soybeans took a hit in Minnesota, which was the western leg’s trend this year. Corn showed more kernel depth and yield on both routes.
Day 4 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour is revealing some good to excellent corn and soybean crops in Iowa and Minnesota, along with concerns about drought in corn and the appearance of sudden death syndrome in beans.