Highlights
Two weeks ago, 8 out of 10 farmers we talked to said they were expecting less bushels per acre than a year ago. While they would not put a number on the beans, most were saying corn would be 20 to 30 bushels less. That translates to about 10 bushels less per acre. Half of the 1 in 10 said yields would be the same and the same number said better than 2022. Now, 6 out of 10 say corn is not as good as 2022 and the others are split between the same and better.
Yield estimates for Thursday’s USDA are holding about steady with the September numbers when USDA lowered corn yield 173.8, down from 175.1, but up from 173.3 in 2022. USDA lowered soybean yield in September to 50.1, down from 50.9; 2022 beans yielded 49.5.
Corn yields on the October production reports the past 5 years were reduced every year except 2019, which was steady. October’s soybean pod counts have been increased each of the past 5 years on the October report.