The Pro Farmer Crop Tour, a critical event for the grain market, recently concluded, shedding light on U.S. corn and soybean harvest prospects. Despite the tour aligning closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) yield estimates in many states, weather fluctuations have added uncertainty to this year's predictions.
While the majority of state-level tour results did not significantly challenge USDA's recent yield projections, the Corn Belt's ongoing dry spell and heat-induced crop stress warrant consideration. With corn yields in Ohio and soybean pod counts in Indiana largely in line with USDA's outlook, the tour's observations may reflect an upper potential limit, particularly for soybeans that heavily depend on August rains.
The Pro Farmer Crop Tour, known for its comprehensive routes through major corn and soybean producing states, offers yield approximations and insights. However, this year's tour recorded no exceptional figures. Nonetheless, some states, like Iowa and Illinois, mirrored recent tour averages, in keeping with USDA. Notably, the tour identified struggling crops in west central Iowa, suggesting unexpected drought impact.
Of special interest was Illinois' situation, where early-season dryness prevailed. While minimal impact emerged from the tour, the lack of June heat could have played a role.
Post-tour, Pro Farmer released its U.S. corn and soybean yield predictions, deviating slightly from USDA's figures. Their corn yield forecast stood at 172 bushels per acre, below USDA's 175.1, while the soybean yield projection was 49.7 bpa, surpassing USDA's 50.9.
Pro Farmer's historical accuracy in predicting yield directions has been impressive.
Photo Credit: istock-alenamozhjer
Categories: Illinois, Crops