Preliminary route reports from Day 1 of Pro Farmer Tour
Preliminary Route Report with Brian Grete, eastern Tour leader
What counties (with state and district) have you sampled from?
- Ohio: Madison, Clark, Miami, Auglaize, Shelby, Mercer counties.
Corn yield range:
- 91.9 to 214.7 bpa
Corn yield average:
- 172.3 bpa
Soybean pod count range in 3’x3’ square:
- 1123
Soybean pod count average in 3’x3’ square:
- 799 to 1,767
Please share a few (one to three) comments from your route:
For Corn, the plant health was solid, some issues were noted, but the crop was in good condition overall. Maturity was anywhere from blister to dough—a little less mature than anticipated. Soil moisture was good, which was key. Time will be needed to finish the crop but should round the growing season out strong provided rains continue.
Pods were generally flat, but pod counts were solid. More moisture will be needed to finish. We didn’t see any that were still blooming, key will be how plump they get from now until finish.
Preliminary Route Report with Mark Bernard, eastern Tour consultant
What counties (with state and district) have you sampled from?
Ohio: Morrow, Crawford, Huron, Seneca, Wyandotte, Hancock.
Corn yield range:
- 164.8 bpa to 237.5 bpa
Corn yield average:
- 196.7 bpa
Soybean pod count range in 3’x3’ square:
- 428 to 1,638
Soybean pod count average in 3’x3’ square:
- 1,073
Please share a few comments from your route:
The Ohio corn crop looks like what was advertised—very healthy plants, little disease, weed and insect pressure. A nice-looking crop of corn—a far cry from what we’ve seen in previous years. A lot of the corn was not mature, although frosts are not a big concern in this area. Soil moisture levels were adequate, with enough to finish the crop out.
Soybean pod counts are pretty good, generally speaking, compared to many years. Some double crop beans are very impressive, which will add to the bottom line for producers. Again, very little disease and weed pressure. Plant health is very good overall. Should have enough moisture to finish the crop out.
Preliminary Route Report with Chip Flory, western Tour leader
What counties (with state and district) have you sampled from?
- Counties: Burt, Washington, Dodge, Colfax—Nebraska
- South Dakota—Lincoln, Turner, Hutchinson, Bonhomme, Yankton
Corn yield range:
- Nebraska: 114.13 to 219.25 bpa
- South Dakota: 61 to 101 bpa
Corn yield average:
- Nebraska: 176.0
- South Dakota: 91.2
Soybean pod count range in 3’x3’ square:
- Nebraska: 842.40 to 1,386
- South Dakota: 496 to 1328
Soybean pod count average in 3’x3’ square:
- Nebraska: 1,176
- South Dakota: 896
Please share a few comments from your route:
Drought conditions are evident in southeast South Dakota and northeast Nebraska. In a good year, it’s hard to tell the difference between the corners of an irrigated field and the portion under pivot. This year, we took samples to see the difference in the unirrigated portion and irrigated portion of a field—the corner samples were 100 bu. less.
There are some issues in soybeans, due to disease. Premature yellowing and insect damage are apparent, which is taking the top end off some of the pod counts. There is some weed pressure that could ultimately hurt crop potential as well. Overall, soybeans are average on dryland, with irrigated fields proving solid.
Preliminary Route Report with Brent Judisch, western Tour consultant
What counties (with state and district) have you sampled from?
Cedar, Pierce, Wayne—Nebraska
Lincoln, Turner, Hutchinson—South Dakota
Corn yield range:
- Nebraska: 140.3 to 229.3
- South Dakota: 136.7 to 180.3
Corn yield average:
- Nebraska: 176.9
- South Dakota: 149.9
Soybean pod count range in 3’x3’ square:
- Nebraska: 888.8 to 2,016
- South Dakota: 583 to 1,439
Soybean pod count average in 3’x3’ square:
- Nebraska: 1,229
- South Dakota: 1,157
Please share a few (one to three) comments from your route:
South Dakota corn is very average. Looks better from the road than when measuring samples. Soybean pod counts are excellent, with plants managing heat very well. Soil moisture is average—there are no cracks in the ground, but normal. Beans look like they’ll finish well, given current plant health.
Northeast Nebraska irrigated corn looks ok, and the dryland corn is better than expected. Soybeans looked solid—both irrigated and dryland. Very impressed with how soybeans looked—no obvious disease or weed pressure. Soil moisture is adequate, starting to look a bit dry, but good for now.
