FOLEY, Minn. — The National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) released the crop yield estimates for various crops from 2019. I like to look at these statistics every year to give myself an idea of what the potential trends look like for yields in the area. NASS also has last years estimated yields for a variety of other crops including Barley and Wheat if there is interest in those crops. Considering last year’s issues with planting and harvesting it might be a good idea to know where you landed in these estimates.
There are a variety of issues that can influence yields from year to year, with one of the biggest issues last year being weather. Rainfall last season lead to late planting and harvest in some areas and it showed up in yields across the board. Estimated yields for all three counties for corn and soybeans were down from 2018 and in many cases the worst yields in the area since 2014.
2019 estimated corn yields for Benton County was 154.6 bushels per acre which is down from 2018. Soybean yields in Benton County were not disclosed. For Stearns County, corn yields were estimated at 170.2 bushels per acre and soybean yields were estimated at 44.4 bushels per acre. Both of these values were down from 2018 and were at their lowest point since 2014. Morrison County yields in 2019 were 141.3 bushels per acre for corn and 40.5 bushels per acre for soybeans, both which are down from 2018. The statewide estimate corn yield was 174 bushels per acre and 44 bushels per acre for soybeans in 2019. Both of these values are again down from the 182 bushels per acre corn yield and 49 bushel per acre soybean yields estimated in 2018. Central Minnesota’s corn and soybean yields for 2019 were on par with the statewide average at 174.6 and 44.9 bushels per acre respectively.
When looking at the yield data from the past 10 years, it is clear there is a lot of variation in yields from year to year for both crops. While weather is usually the most significant yield factor, the effect of best management practices cannot be excluded from this calculation. These practices include nutrient management, weed control, irrigation, improved drainage, tillage management, proper hybrid selection, among others that help get the most out of improved crop genetics. It is also important to remember that while higher yields usually mean greater returns; keep yield expectations realistic. With farm budgets being tight, consider what inputs your money is going towards and the probability of seeing a good return on investment.
All of the yield data can be found by doing an Internet search for “Minnesota Ag Statistics County Estimates” and looking for the link to the NASS website. For more information feel free to call the Benton County Extension Office at 320-968-5081 for information that is useful to you.
— Nathan Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension
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