2026 Crop Tour - Day 4
White County, Indiana
White County is coming off a record crop last year, and most farmers we spoke with believe this year's crop is unlikely to surpass those numbers. The ear samples we collected were generally smaller than last season's. As we have seen in other parts of the state, excessive early-season precipitation contributed to nitrogen deficiency, which likely limited yield potential.
Iroquois County, Illinois
Crop conditions in Iroquois County were fair, with some evidence of excess moisture stress. The samples we collected were solid, with estimated yields ranging from 200–220 bu/acre. We observed minor disease pressure, but it appeared to be well managed and should have little impact on overall production. After producing around 230 bu/acre last year, the county is expected to finish below that mark in 2026.
la salle county, illinois
La Salle County has benefited from abundant moisture, receiving approximately 175% of normal precipitation over the past 60 days. The samples we collected indicate a good crop with solid yield potential. However, we are concerned that lower-lying areas affected by excess moisture could reduce the county average. If the region receives a stretch of favorable dry weather through the remainder of the season, yields could approach last year's county average of 208 bu/acre.
Mercer County, Illinois
Overall, the crop in Mercer County looks outstanding, with virtually no signs of stress. The grower we visited applied fungicide twice during the season, and the crop has benefited from consistent rainfall, receiving approximately 131% of normal precipitation over the past 90 days. The producer believes conditions are even better than last year, when the same field produced 240 bu/acre. Based on our ear counts, we estimated this field at approximately 220 bu/acre, although the crop still has strong yield potential heading into the final stages of the growing season.
Cedar county, iowa
The crop in Cedar County, Iowa, was among the most impressive we have seen on the tour. The area has received more than adequate rainfall throughout the growing season, and our samples projected yields approaching 255 bu/acre. Local farmers were optimistic that this year's crop could outperform last year's, citing timely rainfall and lower disease pressure as key advantages. If favorable weather continues through grain fill, Cedar County has the potential to produce another exceptional crop.
indiana summary
Central Indiana looks to have a solid crop, maybe similar to last year’s numbers. The northern part of the state may have received too much rain early in the year but has hardly received the rain they’ve needed since then. Farmers don’t expect the crop to be as good this year as it was last year in Indiana. We expect Indiana to be around 199 yield wise, 5 bushels below a record of 204 last year.
illinois summary
The story of Illinois this year has been rain. Many places got too much too early and have been battling with drought and drowned-out spots since then. Some places in Illinois look good, with adequate rainfall and those places could match last year's numbers. Overall, we expect Illinois to be near 209, five bushels off last year and eight bushels off their all-time high.
