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Ten years after setting Rock County’s highest average corn yield, area producers are confident the record will be broken once the 2015 growing season is wrapped up. How much the average could be raised is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, local farmers have enjoyed 24 days of rain-free weather from Sept. 29 to Friday, when .89 inches was recorded.
It has been those timely rains throughout the 2015 growing season that have produced this year’s bountiful yield.
Rock County’s record corn yield of 190 bushels per acre was set in 2005.
“The Lord has truly blessed us with a good crop,” said Luverne farmer Ron Fick. “It’s the best yield I have ever had.”
Fick, who has farmed since 1972, estimates his average corn yield has been about 200 bushels per acre with no significant variation between locations in Springwater, Luverne and Magnolia townships.
Also a seed corn dealer, Fick said he has reports of yields greater than 200 bushels per acre in the more fertile fields located in southern Rock County.
“We had rains at the right time,” he explained.
Based on rainfall measured at Quentin Aanensen Field — Luverne Municipal Airport, the area has received more than 22 inches of rain since March. The most rainfall (5.45 inches) occurred in August, a crucial development period for crops.
Mel Fick, who farms with cousins Ron and Jim, added, “Some of the lighter ground did well because of the rain.”
The late summer rain helped the crops in Rock County recover from a very dry spring (only 1.19 inches of rain fell in April), a windstorm that went through the county on June 22, and reports of scattered hail.
For most of October, however, the dry weather has been ideal, giving area farmers like the Ficks time to finish without working late into the night. The Ficks along with Ron’s son, Ryan, and Jim’s son, Shane, were harvesting their last cornfield late last week.
As of Monday, 81 percent of the state’s corn harvest was complete, almost a week ahead of the five-year average of 67 percent. Soybean harvest has been wrapped up, a week ahead of the average.
The record yields are predicted higher for the entire state.
According to the Oct. 9 USDA Crop Production Report, corn yields across the state were expected to average 184 bushels per acre, up 28 bushels from last year and one bushel above the September forecast.
If realized, it would be the highest corn yield on record for the state, seven bushels above the record set in 2010. Rock County averaged 189.2 bushels per acre that year.
The state’s crop production report also predicts the state will surpass its current soybean record of 45.5 bushels an acre set in 2010.
The forecast is 48 bushels per acre, 6.5 bushels above 2010 and one bushel above the September forecast.
For the local soybean yield, 54.3 bushels per acre was set in 2010, and that is also expected to be broken.
“Everyone was real happy with beans,” said Eldon Kruger with CHS-Eastern Farmers Elevator in Kanaranzi.
He said yield averages were between 60 and 65 bushels an acre.
In the Hills area, New Vision Co-Op’s Craig Vreeman said yields, especially soybeans, could be record-breaking with averages between 65 to 70 bushels per acre. Corn, however, had issues with disease that could keep yield averages lower.
“Most are happy with yields,” Vreeman said. “But they would like prices to be higher.”
On Monday corn prices ranged from $3.32 to $3.39 per bushel at the various New Vision Co-Op locations, averaging $1 per bushel lower than last year. Soybean prices are also lower, averaging $8.31 to $8.41 locally.
The USDA will release its final 2015 report in February 2016.