Pro Farmer Crop Tour News
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+ fields across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. This year’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour takes place August 17-20, 2026.
Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says the placements were 11% below last year and a bullish surprise for him and the trade. However, the President’s beef plan it stifling the recovery.
Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts discovered a corn crop that didn’t live up to expectations, with Pro Farmer pegging the national yield at 173.2 bu. per acre, well below USDA’s 180.7 current estimate.
Lane Akre, economist with Pro Farmer, says the corn made new highs on Friday but may have to go higher with their big yield cut of 7.5 bu. from USDA’s August estimate.
Pro Farmer National Forecast: Corn Falls Short of Last Year’s Record, But Soybeans Eye New Milestone
Scouts say early-season weather stress reduced corn ear counts and grain length and cut stands across the Corn Belt, but above-average soybean pod numbers mean farmers could harvest a record bean crop this fall.
Day 4 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour found a crop with plenty of potential — and plenty of hidden gaps. Fewer ears, shorter grain length and early-season stress are showing up in fields in parts of both states, complicating the yield picture.
Day 3 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour reveals low ear counts dragging down rain-weary Illinois fields, while Western Iowa corn flashes standout potential despite rising SDS and brown stem rot in soybeans.
Day 2 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour reveals surprisingly resilient fields on the Eastern leg, while a late-summer moisture deficit leaves dryland crops on the Western leg lagging behind 2025 yields.
Day 1 of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour highlights a deeply divided Corn Belt. Scouts find drought-damaged corn but surprisingly resilient soybeans in the West, while the East battles mud and highly uneven maturity.