Day 1 started in Sioux Co Iowa, where there was a bad line of storms with heavy winds the previous week. Many corn stands were tipped over from Beresford SD to about Sioux center Iowa. This will be a limiting factor on yield potential in this area. With 20 inches of rain in this area in June and July farmers are expected above average yields, but the recent line of storms may be the one limiting factor on that. Our results showed us the yield samples we procured came in at 20 bushels worse than 2 years ago. These were on highly massive APH farms. This area had been stressed by hail and wide range of temperatures opening the door for disease issues. Sioux county will have hard time getting above 205-210 yield. The 5 year average is 205 and the record is 220.

As we drove from stop 1 in Iowa to Cedar county in Nebraska, crop conditions were looking fantastic. Normally this area in Nebraska is showing signs of stress by now but this year everything seems to be quite green and farmers are expecting record yields. There was really no difference between the dry land and irrigated crop, further providing evidence of adequate moisture. Northeast NE had 12 in of rainfall in July alone. Typically over abundance of rainfall in this area is a good problem to have. The record for Cedar county is 204, local farmers we could push above that. Our samples confirmed record potential but did not blow the doors off.

Stop 3 in was in York co Nebraska where there was slight drought presence from the map. The area from the road along with the fields we checked which were irrigated didn’t show signs of stress. If you looked hard enough you could see a little brown, but couldn’t tell if it was stress or a lack of N. Our samples were very similar to last year and last year was a record. Based on current crop conditions the record is within reach.

Ne Summary

For the state of Nebraska based on current crop conditions and field samples versus prior years we see no reason why Nebraska doesn’t have a record yield potential. Finish will be the determining factor of how far above the record of 194 we could achieve. 198 is our expected guess for the state average. Keep an eye on excess moisture in the low areas finishing the year as it is difficult to access excess moisture when the corn is this tall. If we don’t achieve a record yield in the state of Nebraska excess moisture and disease issues will likely play a part in it. Both of those to date are too early to call.