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.
The fourth and final day of the 32nd Pro Farmer Crop Tour wrapped up on Thursday, Aug. 22, with numbers from Minnesota and eastern Iowa samples combined for full Iowa results.
The Illinois corn crop didn’t quite meet USDA’s expectations of 225 bu./acre, but it hit 204.14 bu. At the same time, Iowa’s soybean crop is putting out big numbers.
The corn yield estimate in Indiana is nearly 7 bu. per acre above the 2023 tour estimate; the soybean estimate is up 7.56%. Nebraska’s corn yield estimate is just over 6 bu. per acre higher than last year, and the soybean estimate is up 1.07%.
Corn yield estimates in South Dakota are less than 1 bu. per acre lower than 2023 tour estimates while soybean pod counts are up. Ohio’s corn yield estimates are slightly lower than last year and soybean pod counts came in 1.84% lower.
Markets will look for confirmation of record yields from the tour for direction.
Wheat sees a short covering bounce, while cattle fall with fund liquidation and lower cash.
As scouts set off for the 2024 Pro Farmer Crop Tour Monday morning, market watchers say there a few key things they’ll need to see out of next week’s tour. From ear counts to stands to kernel size, here are the biggest metrics to watch during tour.
The latest WASDE report from the USDA forecasts record-breaking yields in five of the states Pro Farmer Crop Tour will tour —Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Illinois could see an amazing average corn yield of 225 bu. per acre.
Now on-demand: Re-watch each night of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour nightly meeting broadcast.
Crop Tour is a fact-finding mission with a goal of getting a strong, objective view of corn yield potential from one big field across seven states.