County farmers seeing good yields as harvest continues

Dodge County farmers are well into harvest season and it looks as if they will be seeing good yields for the year.
Statewide, Minnesota corn production is forecast at 1.53 billion bushels, up 22% from last year, according to the latest projections of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Those projections forecast an average of 202 bushels per acre.
Soybean production for the state is forecast at 381 million bushels, up 28% from last year, with an estimated 50 bushels per acre.
Bruce Schmoll, who raises soybeans and corn on his farm south of Claremont agreed with those projections.
“Our beans were a nice surprise,” he said last week. “Had the best whole farm yields I’ve ever had. Well over 50 bushels an acre.”
Although the corn harvest is not as far along as soybeans, early indications are that it too will match projections.
Charles Rohwer, who farms near Dodge Center was out combining in his fields last week. So far, he said, his fields were yielding 218 bushels an acre.
Schmoll said late last week that he had just started his corn harvest and while he had not yet calibrated his yield monitor he knew he was getting over 200 bushels an acre.
He said he also was pleased to find the moisture content of the corn harvested in the 18-19% range.
Recent warm temperatures really help lower the costs of drying, he said.
“It’s very nice not to have to dry corn in freezing temps,” he said.
Weekly crop progress reports from the NASS for the week ending Oct. 4 showed that the corn for grain harvest was 14% complete, 18 days ahead of last year and one week ahead of average. The condition of the corn was listed as 81% in either good or excellent condition.
Soybeans were 61% harvested which was 23 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of average. Seventy-nine percent of the beans were listed in good or excellent condition.
Crop reports are normally released on Monday but that was delayed this week because of the Columbus Day holiday.
Prices for corn and soybeans fluctuate continuously but according to the monthly price report issued by the NASS August average price for corn in Minnesota was $2.85 per bushel. That was 19 cents below the July price and 86 cents below the August 2019 price.
August average price for soybeans was $8.55 per bushel, up 25 cents from July and up 46 cents from the August 2019 price.