Farmers in Northwest Iowa had near to record corn and soybean crops last year and early harvest results are surprisingly similar.
Weather A Double Edged Sword
Matt McCarthy, who farms near Newell, was expecting a smaller crop than 2025 just based on the mid-season weather challenges the crop experienced.
“We were dry during July and we didn’t get an abundance amount of rain in August,” he says.
That was followed by an abnormally wet September where McCarthy’s farm received nearly 10 inches of rain.
Quality Issues in Soybeans
The moisture was a double edged sword for soybeans. While it brought higher yield potential, he’s seen quality issues with late season diseases like white mold. He’s also had discolored soybeans and some sprouting in the pod, which has been widespread in the western Corn Belt this fall.
McCarthy was selling his beans right off the combine and delivering them to the local crush plant, Platinum Crush in Alta, Iowa.
The good news is he and farmers in his area have not had any loads docked or rejected by the elevator or local soy processing plant
Soybean Yields Benefit From Rain
So, he contends the late rains helped more than they hurt and it’s evident in his yield results on soybeans, which are running neck and neck with last year’s record.
“I would say 65 to, you know, the 80 to 85 if it was a longer-term cornfield and then went to a bean crop. So it’s had, you know. three to five, six years of corn and then beans. They always, you know, will out produce the rotated fields.”
Corn Yields Mirror 2025 Records
McCarthy also had record corn yields in 2025 and this year’s results are mirroring that, running 15 to 20 bushels above his farm APH (Actual Production History) of 226 bushels per acres. That’s despite receiving less rainfall during July than the previous season.
“I would say probably 225 to 240 catches probably the bulk of it. There’s going to be some better, but we haven’t gotten to the later maturity yet either. So I think as we get later, maybe it’ll get better, but we’ll find out if the corn put the weight on like we thought maybe from the late rains,” he explains.
The late hybrids also pollinated after the heat and dryness in July and picked up September rains verses the early corn.
“We had a lot of tip back in the 109 through 114 day corn. It was a lot hotter, it was drier in July when it was pollinating and having its grain fill. So, did we have less kernels than a year ago,” he adds.
Heat Offset by Lack of Disease
The big difference or offset this year, according to McCarthy, has been a more consistent corn crop and the absence of disease.
“I don’t have the huge swings of the lower yields because of the rust and those issues, I didn’t get the southern rust. And we sprayed fungicide twice. I Y-dropped the nitrogen, so we split applied our nitrogen, and I think that helped as well,” he says.
Still with the wet September some ear molds are showing up on corn. There’s also mild standability issues and the crop is drying down quickly, making it key to get the crop harvested as soon as possible.
“I mean, it’s been a hot one with some wind. And so there’s some 106-day corn that’s hand-shelling at 15.5, 15.8%. And even 113-day is 17%, 18%. So it’s going to be a race to get it harvested before it gets below 15 or we’re giving up water weight.”
Profitability Up From 2025
Profit levels for McCarthy are also up from last year as prices for corn are slightly higher and beans are well above 2025.
“I think there’s probably more optimism this year,” he says.
And its needed with record diesel prices adding to the cost to harvest this year’s crop.
