USDA is estimating near record corn and soybean crops in Iowa this year, but early yields results indicate that might be difficult to achieve, at least for corn.
At the Reints farm in northeast Iowa, corn yields have been running above last year, but they left a lot of yield potential in the field due to disease.
“It’s still a good crop out there,” says Shell Rock, Iowa, farmer Clay Reints, as he hauls this year’s corn crop to the grain bin site on his farm.
2025 Started as Perfect Growing Season
2025 began as a perfect growing season with the setup to produce a record crop.
“In that second week or third week in July, man, the stuff was looking fantastic,” Reints says. “We really thought we had a monster crop out there.”
That crop potential was supported by ample moisture, according to Clay’s dad and farming partner Jeff.
“We’re 9" above normal rainfall from planting date to Sept. 4,” he says.
Disease Trims Corn Yield
However, by August disease hit the corn crop, including a rare strain detected in all 99 counties in Iowa.
Jeff says: “This southern rust came on so quick and fast and people really weren’t that aware of it. It caught a lot of people by surprise.”
While combining in the cab, Jeff talks about the ROI on fungicide this year to combat diseases.
“We’re seeing definitely a 30 bu. gain where we put on fungicide,” he explains. “You invested basically 9 bu. of corn to get 30 back. That’s over a 300% return on your investment. I’ll take that every day.”
Test Weights on Corn Preserved With Fungicide
Reints says some of that yield is also coming from test weights, which are running from 55.5 lb. to 57 lb. on corn.
“We got a good size ear filled out to the tip, excellent pollination,” he says. “We break that open, and see a real good kernel size.”
Reints says the key to that kernel depth, came from using fungicide to curb disease pressure.
Disease Trimmed Top End Yield Potential
While corn yields will be above Reint’s actual production history (APH), Jeff thinks they still left potential in the field due to disease, and it’s evident as the combine rolls.
“This particular field we’re running in that 240 to 250,” he says. “Some earlier corn we’ve done was more in that 220 to 225 range. A good normal crop, but not quite the crop we expected.”
USDA has Iowa corn yields pegged at 219 bu. per acre, but Jeff is doubtful they can reach that.
“I don’t see the whole state averaging that 219,” he says.
Soybean Yields Exceed Expectations
Conversely, early soybean yields are exceeding his expectations, running 10 bu. to 15 bu. above his APH.
“Yields are running in that mid-70s. It’s fun to watch the monitors set above 80, quite a ways across the field,” Jeff says.
Reints attributes the strong finish to timely moisture, low disease pressure and larger seed size.
“It doesn’t seem like we aborted many pods, and those top pods, that top 6" of plant, when that fills out, you know, you’re gonna have a good bean year,” he says.
