Southeastern Minnesota Field Agronomist discusses 2021 corn and soybean harvest

The 2021 harvest season has virtually concluded not only in southeastern Minnesota, but the rest of the state as well, as a recent Minnesota Crop Progress and Condition Report from the USDA listed the corn harvest as being 99% completed.  KAUS News spoke with Josh Schofner, a Field Agronomist with Pioneer in southeastern Minnesota who stated that concerning the soybean crop, there was less variability than expected due to drought conditions during the growing season, and he added that overall, the crop rivaled that of last year, which was one of the best soybean crops ever in southeastern Minnesota…

Schofner went on to state that ideal harvest conditions for the corn crop this fall helped immensely in bringing in a crop he thinks will exceed expectations…

According to the USDA, Minnesota’s average corn yield is projected to be 178 bushels per acre, which would be a bushel and a half above the projected national average. It would be a step back from last year’s harvest, when Minnesota growers averaged 191 bushels per acre, but higher than the 2019 yield of 173 bushels per acre.  The USDA also reported that Minnesota’s 2021 average soybean yield was estimated at last word at 43 bushels per acre, which compares to 49 bushels per acre in 2020.