Crop tour data from Pro Farmer shows low corn and soybean yields in some US states, supporting quotes

A Pro Farmer crop tour of US fields showed that in some states, soybean and corn yields are inferior to last year's and the 3-year average, as well as the USDA's August estimates, which significantly supported quotes this week.

In rain-depleted Illinois fields, head counts are very low, while in Western Iowa, crops are high in yield despite increases in SDS and brown stem rot in soybeans.

The tour showed that dry conditions in the West and excess moisture and pollination problems in the Eastern U.S. Corn Belt are stressing plants and reducing yield potential.

The results of the Pro Farmer Crop Tour 2026 regarding corn are as follows:

• South Dakota - yield 149.1 bushels/acre (174.2 in 2025 and 151.0 according to USDA estimate) as crops were badly affected by heat and drought.
• Ohio - due to excessive moisture and poor pollination, the yield is 180.2 bushels/acre (185.7 in 2025 and 195 according to USDA estimates).
• Nebraska - 163.6 bushels/acre (173.3 3-year average and 183.0 USDA estimate).
• Indiana - 183.5 bushels/acre (193.8 in 2025 and 206.0 according to USDA estimates).
• Illinois - 184.2 bushels/acre, with uneven crops and low head index (fewer heads per acre due to early rains).

The crop tour also showed the following number of soybean pods per 3x3 foot area by state:

• South Dakota - 946 pods (-20.4% compared to 2025 - 1188),
• Ohio - 1197 pods (1287 in 2025),
• Nebraska - 1220 (1348) pods,
• Indiana - 1319 (1377) pods,
• Illinois - 1,430 pods (diseases such as sudden death syndrome/SDS and white mold have been reported).

The results of the tour showed that the USDA's August forecasts for near-record soybean and corn harvests in the US were overly optimistic, as excessive rainfall this season negatively affected crops.

Pro Farmer experts note that in Illinois, where June and early August were the wettest on record, the average grain count per cob was the lowest since 2013.

According to the report, yesterday on the Chicago Board of Trade, November soybean futures rose by 1.7% to $454.5/t (+4.6% for the week, +1% for the month and +15.6% for the year), and December corn futures rose by 2% to $196/t (+3.8% for the week, +5.3% for the month, +10.6% for the year).