Going into day 3 of the 2024 Pro Farmer Crop Tour, expectations were high. While the crop might not have quite lived up to those expectations, scouts are still seeing big increases over 2023 — especially in soybeans.
The results from day 3 were released Wednesday night:
- District 1 Iowa: 176.59 bu./acre
- District 4 Iowa: 195.86 bu./acre
- District 7 Iowa: 191.59 bu./acre
- Illinois: 204.14 bu./acre
Are Recent Rains Enough In Iowa?
Scouts knew if Iowa is going to hit record yield numbers, moisture levels from timely rains would play a big role.
In District 1, estimates show a 3.28% yield decrease from last year’s numbers.
- Iowa District 1 Corn Yield Estimate: 176.59 bu./acre
- Ear Count: 102.18
- Grain Length: 6.52
District 4 showed the best numbers of the three areas sampled with a slight yield increase estimate of 2.24% from last year.
- Iowa District 4 Corn Yield Estimate: 195.86 bu./acre
- Ear Count: 100.09
- Grain Length: 7.08
This year’s yield estimate in District 7 is a 3.65% increase from 2024 and 4.31% over the three-year average — something Roger Cerven, farmer and scout in Stanton, Iowa, predicted while scouting.
“Southwest Iowa in District 7 is going to be a lot better than what it was a year ago,” he says.
- Iowa District 7 Corn Yield Estimate: 191.59 bu./acre
- Ear Count: 98.31
- Grain Length: 7.09
Chip Flory, Pro Farmer Crop Tour director for the western leg, says this Iowa region has been the most impressive of the week.
Soybean fields showed minimal pest and weed pressure along the route, which led to big pod increases versus last year in some parts of the state.
In District 1, pod counts were estimated at 1,108.76 in a 3’x3' square, which is a 2.5% decrease over 2023.
District 4 found pod counts at 1,254.09 in a 3’x3' square — an 11.94% increase from last year.
District 7 kept up the trend, showing a 1,366 pod count in a 3’x3' square — a 16.74% increase from 2023.
Iowa route report on #pftour24 (from my finger to Spencer, 11 stops): #soybeans were great, pod counts safely above the last 3 years on same route. #Corn avg yield was 183.5 bu/acre, roughly 10 better than last 2 years but below 188.2 in 2021. Flood issues evident at very end. pic.twitter.com/nh8tvJ24h5
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) August 21, 2024
“We pulled our No. 2 sample and found 2,800-some pods,” says Denny Rollenhagen, Wells, Minn., farmer and scout. “From the way they look now, if they finish they’ll be really good beans.”
Illinois’ Corn Crop Makes Crop Tour Record
With USDA’s yield estimate of 225 bu. per acre in mind, the third day of the 2024 Pro Farmer Crop Tour didn’t quite meet expectations. Overall, the word of the day for the state’s corn is “variable.”
Just finished our sixth stop in northern Illinois today. Averaging 198.0 bushels/acre so far but fields have been variable.
— Lane (@iwatchcorn) August 21, 2024
Beans continue to look pretty good across our route#PFTour24 pic.twitter.com/oQ67NV5pCu
“From a yield perspective, it’s been a bit more variable than I anticipated. If you’re going to get to the 225, it has to be pretty stellar on a consistent basis,” said Brian Grete, eastern leg director. “But, there are some really big yields out there in some of these fields and that can help offset some of the ones that didn’t quite get there.”
However, the state is still holding a big crop. In fact, Grete says it hit a new Crop Tour record. This year’s estimate is 5.38% higher than 2023’s number and 5.46% above the three-year average.
- Illinois Corn Yield Estimate: 204.14 bu./acre
- Ear Count: 107.75
- Grain Length: 7.02
“We had two stops where three of the six ears were 9" in length. Baseball bats as I like to refer to them,” Grete says.
Bloomington, Ill., farmer Dennis Wentworth says he’s still excited about the potential for a record crop.
“We’re not seeing tar spot, and you see really good plant health here,” Wentworth says. “Even the lower leaves are still green — we haven’t run out of nitrogen. We’re excited about this.”
Like southern Iowa, Illinois’ soybeans were a pleasant surprise. The state’s pod counts in a 3’x3' square are estimated at 1,419.11 — a whopping 11.69% increase from 2023.
Grete says Illinois has had all the ingredients for a big yield — uniformity, heavily podded, and good soil moisture.
The Illinois beans are starting to play a game of "find Alejandra". The next sample was over her shoulders! 😂 #pftour24 pic.twitter.com/DXPWR2asNc
— Kristi Goedken (@KristiGoedken12) August 21, 2024
“For beans that don’t look that impressive, they certainly have a lot of pods on them,” says scout Mark Bernard.
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View Day 2 Results
View Day 1 Results
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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-plus fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.
This year’s event takes place August 19-22. Register now to attend in-person or watch results live each night at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time.
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