A new report predicts this year’s corn and soybean harvests in Iowa will fall short of records set last year.
The U.S.D.A. report is based on conditions as of October 1. The forecast calls for the corn yield in Iowa to average 191 bushels per acre, up 4 bushels per acre from the September forecast but down 12 bushels per acre from last year. Overall, Iowa corn production is forecast at 2.46 billion bushels. If the prediction holds, it would mark the third highest yield and production on record behind 2016 and ’15.
Soybean production is forecast at 557 million bushels, with a yield of 56 bushels per acre. If realized, it would be the second highest production on record behind last year. The yield forecast would be the third highest on record. Last year, the average soybean yield in Iowa was 60 bushels per acre.