By Brian Grete, Pro Farmer
The best analysis of this year’s data will be to compare state-by-state results to past Pro Farmer Crop Tour data, with close attention to the percentage changes. You also need to factor in the historical difference for each state.
We know the corn yield calculated during Tour will be different than USDA’s final yield for each state. On average since 2001, the Tour yield has been 6.3 bu. above USDA’s final national average corn yield.
The historical difference is the result of the Tour’s route. For example, in Nebraska, about 60% of the corn crop is irrigated, but Tour samples include about 40% irrigated fields. In Minnesota, we cover only the highest yielding southern districts.
There are reasons for the differences and understanding them makes Tour yields valuable.
Soybeans: No Yield, But Loads of Data
The number of soybean pods it takes to make a bushel is different in each state. Instead of yield, we calculate the number of pods in a 3’x3' square. By comparing pod counts to past Tour data, we get an idea about the size of this year’s yield “factory.”
VIEW 2022 DATA WITH A HISTORICAL LENS
Read More
2022 Crop Tour: A View From The Field
Round Robin: Which State Will Have the Highest Crop Yields?
Reserve Your Front-Row Seat for the 2022 Pro Farmer Crop Tour
