Latest News From Pro Farmer Crop Tour

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.

Lack of moisture and high-heat days have Iowa locals concerned about cannibalized stalks, while Illinois considers impacts of wildfire smoke and overnight temps.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hitting the road on Pro Farmer Crop Tour this week? I hope you packed your rain gear.

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.

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.

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.

The third day of the 2022 Pro Farmer Crop Tour is revealing a lot of average crops in some states, but Illinois and Iowa corn and soybeans are showing some strength.

December corn futures rose to the highest price since late June and soybeans and wheat also rose amid concern over dry weather.  Why did corn prices surge? Several bullish factors are at play,

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.

On Day 2 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, scouts see a wide range of conditions in Indiana and Nebraska. Some irrigated corn and soybean fields are performing well, while dryland crops are struggling.

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.

For the 30th year, Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts will be providing insights for potential corn and soybean yields based on samples from 2,000 fields.

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.

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.

You have the opportunity to attend Pro Farmer Crop Tour nightly meeting or watch a brief broadcast online this year.

The 2022 Pro Farmer Crop Tour will be sweeping the Midwest soon. We spoke with a handful of master crop scouts to get a preview of what to expect on each leg of the tour.

The goal of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour is to get a strong, objective view of corn yield potential across the Corn Belt during the third full week of August. 

With lawmakers focused on environmental social governance and carbon-neutral fuels, odds are the momentum to replace petroleum-based diesel with renewable diesel will not be exhausted soon. 

Pro Farmer estimates the U.S. corn crop at 15.116 billion bu. with an average yield of 177.0 bu. per acre. We estimate the U.S. soybean crop at 4.436 billion bu. on a national average yield of 51.2 bu. per acre.

Scouts saw drought damage instead of derecho devastation in eastern and north-central portions of Iowa on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour this year. Minnesota was much the same, with fields showing clear signs of stress.

Drought dominated headlines in western Iowa last year during the Pro Farmer Crop Tour, and even as drought continues to be the talk of Iowa this year, fields in some portions of the state produced a different tone.

Pro Farmer scouts pegged the Indiana average yield estimate at 193.48 bu. per acre on Tuesday, just slightly below USDA's prediction of 194 bu. per acre.

Fields sprouted the possibiity of big bushels on Tuesday. In Nebraska, scouts saw dryness, but also big potential for soybeans this year. And Indiana's crops also showed potential records in areas of the state.

As scouts set out on the 2021 Pro Farmer Crop Tour Monday they got a soggy start, a good sign for soybeans in August. While Ohio did not disappoint, South Dakota showed scars from the drought with a mature crop.

Bruce Blythe shares some initial comments and results from his route through South Dakota.

Drought conditions continue to plague portions of the Western Corn Belt, but in the East, it's a much different story with Ohio farmers potentially sitting on an above average crop. 

Crop scouts weave their way across the Corn Belt as the 2021 Pro Farmer Crop tour kicks off. In the West, scouts will start in the drought-stressed state of South Dakota. The eastern leg starts in Columbus, Ohio.

From corn fields flattened to grain bins ripped to shreds, the scene was stark after the derecho ravaged the heartland on August 10, 2020. One year later, crop potential is promising, but rebuilding is still underway.

On August 17, Pro Farmer scouts will be walking Illinois corn and soybean fields checking crop conditions and making annual yield projections.

On Aug. 16, scouts will sample fields in Ohio. What will they find in the Buckeye State? 

As scouts prepare to hit the fields across seven states, our team of experts gathers to frame expectations ahead of this annual August ritual.

Register for the “View from the Field: A Preview of the 2021 Pro Farmer Crop Tour” webinar which takes place Thursday, July 15 at 3 p.m. central.

Farmer-sourced data extends the perspective of Pro Farmer Crop Tour through harvest.

Pro Farmer Crop Tour results will be released on Thursday evening.

Day 3 of the tour finds scouts in Illinois and Iowa, where crops range from excellent to poor, a result of last week's wind storm.