Pro Farmer Crop Tour

FINAL REPORT: Soil Moisture Levels Allow for a Bumper U.S. Soy Crop

The Pro Farmer Crop Tour ended its week--long scouting of fields throughout the Midwest, evaluating more than 2,000 fields. Now the final numbers are in and the full report has been released. On Friday, Pro Farmer analysts forecast the national soybean yields at 54.9 bushels per acre (3.69 MT/ha) putting the total 2024 crop at 4.74 billion bushels (102.4 MMT), plus or minus 2%.

Read the Full Report

The Jury is Out on Iowa Yields Until Combines Roll Through the Fields

On the final day of the Crop Tour, scouts are moving through Iowa and up to Rochester, Minnesota, for their final stop. Scouts report seeing massive yields yesterday in Illinois, but Iowa proves more of a mixed bag.

• Western Route: Today, scouts move from Spencer, Iowa, up to Rochester, Minnesota. The August USDA report pegs the Minnesota soybean crop at 49 bushels per acre (3.29 MT/ha) of which two-thirds is estimated to be in good to excellent condition. The biggest challenge they see now is pest pressure from aphids.
• Eastern Route: On this route, scouts are moving from Iowa City, Iowa, up to Rochester, Minnesota. USDA analysts estimate the Iowa crop at 61 bushels per acre (4.1 MT/ha) with 77% of the crop in good to excellent condition; however, scouts say what they see is a mixed bag. There's lots of yield potential and the size of beans is also impressive. In Illinois, the pod count was up 12% year over year and the third largest on record, so that is shaping up to be a massive soybean crop.

Huge Pod Numbers Found in Indiana, Showing Big Yield Potential

Crop scouts are counting pods and coming up with good numbers in Nebraska and big numbers in Indiana, leading them to believe a robust U.S. soybean crop is in on the way, as long as weather remains favorable.

• Western Route: As scouts move from Nebraska to Iowa — an area that has struggled with drought and erratic weather the past few years — they are seeing really good yield potential. However, Nebraska still needs rain to get the crop across the finish line.
• Eastern Route: Crop scouts have moved from Indiana to Illinois where USDA pegs average yields at 66 bushels per acre (1.43 MT/ha). This is up 5% from last year.

Soil Moisture Will Help Get Soybeans Across the Finish Line

Today, crop scouts are moving from Indiana into Illinois on the Eastern route and across the state of Nebraska on the Western route. Crop consistency seems to be the theme of the day.

• Western Route: In Nebraska, analysts have yield estimates up 15% from a year ago but much of that potential will be dependent on late-season rains. Scouts say the crop here can go either way at this point.
• Eastern Route: The best crops in the Corn Belt might be found in Indiana and Illinois where 72% of the crop is rated good to excellent, said Brian Grete, Pro Farmer Editor. As we move across the state, the soybeans look very consistent and the disease pressure appears minimal, he said.

Can Soybean Yields Keep up with USDA's Estimates?

Just last week, USDA analysts projected average soybean yields of 53.2 bushels per acre (3.58 MT/ha). As scouts on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour begin their routes, starting today in Ohio and South Dakota, they will be vetting the numbers and evaluating pod counts.

• Western Route: Despite late planting and heavy rains in the southeastern part of the state, the soybean crop in South Dakota is on course to beat last year's yields.
• Eastern Route: The soybean crop looks good, says Brian Grete, Pro Farmer Editor who has managed this leg of the tour for nearly 20 years. The plants are tall and heavily podded.