FOCUS ON AG

Written by Kent Thiesse

Farm Management Analyst and Senior Vice President, MinnStar Bank
March 5, 2023
SOLID 2022 CROP YIELDS IN THE UPPER MIDWEST
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently released the estimated 2022 average
county yields for corn, soybeans, and other crops. Minnesota and Wisconsin had record statewide average corn
yields in 2022, while average yields in Nebraska and South Dakota were greatly reduced due to the extreme
drought conditions last year. The 2022 NASS average corn and soybean yields for Minnesota and Iowa were
very good but showed wide yield variation across both States, reflecting yield reductions in the western portions
of the two States that resulted from drought conditions during later portions of the 2022 growing season. The
2022 county yield data for all crops in every State is available on the NASS web site at:
http://www.nass.usda.gov/.

Following is a brief summary of the NASS 2022 State and County corn and soybean yields in the Upper
Midwestern States:

Minnesota
NASS is estimating the 2022 average corn yield in Minnesota at 195 bushels per acre, which would be a new
statewide record corn yield, surpassing 194 bushels per acre in 2017. The 2022 average corn yield is only
slightly above the 2020 statewide corn yield of 192 bushels per acre but is well above the 2021 average corn
yield of 177 bushels per acre and the 2019 average yield of 173 bushels per acre. The 2022 average soybean
yield in Minnesota is estimated at 50 bushels per acre, which is above the 2021 statewide yield of 47 bushels
per acre and the 2020 average yield of 49 bushels per acre. The state record average soybean yield was 52
bushels per acre in 2016.

Twenty-three counties, primarily in the South Central and Southeast Minnesota, had an estimated 2022 average
corn yield that exceeded 200 bushels per acre (bu./A). Martin County had the highest average corn yield at
224.7 bu./A, followed by Dodge County at 221.5 bu./A, Blue Earth County at 219.8 bu./A, Mower County at
218 bu./A, and Steele County at 217.3 bu./A. Other counties that exceeded the 210 bu./A corn yield threshold in
2022 were Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Jackson, Le Sueur, Renville, Rice, Waseca, and Watonwan.

Fifteen counties in Minnesota had 2022 average soybean yields that exceeded 60 bushels per acre (bu./A), again
primarily in South Central and Southeast Minnesota. Steele County also had the highest 2022 average soybean
yield at 63 bu./A, followed by Blue Earth County at 62.5 bu./A, Martin County at 62.4 bu./A, Winona County at
62.2 bu./A, and Olmsted County 62 bu./A. Other Minnesota counties that topped 60 bu./A in 2022 were Dodge,
Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Le Sueur, Mower, Rice, Waseca, and Watonwan.

Iowa
Based on the NASS yield data, the estimated 2022 Iowa statewide average corn yield was 200 bushels per acre,
which trailed the 2021 state record corn yield of 205 bushels per acre but far exceeded the average yield of only
178 bu./A in 2020 that was reduced due the damage caused by the derecho storm that year. Iowa had an average
soybean yield of 58.5 bu./A in 2022, which compares to the record statewide soybean yield of 62 bu./A in 2021,
53 bu./A in 2020 and 55 bu./A in 2019.

Delaware County in East Central Iowa had the highest 2022 average corn yield at 230.8 bu./A, followed by
Clinton County at 225.2 bu./A, Dubuque County at 223.7 bu./A, Benton County at 221.7 bu./A., and Cedar
County at 221.4. Scott County had the highest 2022 average soybean yield at 69.1 bu./A, followed by Dubuque
County at 68.6 bu./A, Delaware County at 67.4 bu./A, Cedar County at 67 bu./A, and Des Moines County at
66.9 bu./A. Twenty counties in Iowa had 2022 average corn yields that exceeded 215 bushels per acre and
forty-nine counties had average soybean yields that surpassed 60 bushels per acre. Corn and soybean yields in
the western third of Iowa were reduced by drought conditions on 2022.
South Dakota
For the second year in a row, the South Dakota corn yield was significantly impacted by drought conditions.
NASS estimated the 2022 average corn yield in South Dakota at only 135 bushels per acre (bu./A), which was
even lower that the 2021 statewide corn yield of 135 bushels per acre and compares to a 2020 average yield of
162 bu./A. Coddington County in the Northeast portion of South Dakota had the highest 2022 average corn
yield at 184.6 bu./A, followed by Minnehaha County at 181.2 bu./A, Brookings County at 174.9 bu./A, Hamlin
County at 174 bu./A, and Deuel County at 170.9 bu./A. South Dakota had an estimated 2022 statewide average
soybean yield of 38 bu./A, which was down from 40 bu./A in 2021 and 45.5 bu./A in 2020 and was well below
the statewide record soybean yield of 49.5 bu./A. Minnehaha County had the highest average 2022 soybean
yield at 54.4 bu./A, followed by Moody County at 53.2 bu./A, Hamlin County at 49.9 bu./A, Deuel County at
48.1 bu./A, Brookings County at 47.8 bu./A, and Coddington County at 47.1 bu./A.

North Dakota
The 2022 North Dakota average corn yield of 131 bushels per acre was a nice rebound from the 2021 drought-
reduced statewide corn yield of only 105 bu./A. The 2022 state corn yield compares to 139 bu./A in 2020, and
131 bu./A in 2019, as well as the state record yield of 158 bu./A in 2016. Cass County had the highest 2022
average corn yield at 174.7 bu./A, followed by Traill County at 172.6 bu./A, and Ransom County at 172.1
bu./A. Dickey, Grand Forks, Richland, Steele, and Walsh counties also topped 150 bu./A. North Dakota had an
estimated 2022 average soybean yield of 35 bu./A, which compares to recent average yields of 25.5 bu./A in
2021, and 33.5 bu./A in 2020, as well as the 2016 record statewide soybean yield of 41.5 bu./A. Cass County
also had the highest 2022 soybean yield at 45.6 bu./A, followed by Pembina County at 44.7 bu./A, Ransom and
Walsh Counties at 42.8 bu./A, Sargent County at 42 bu./A, Traill County at 41.1 bu./A, and Dickey County at
40.5 bu./A.

Nebraska
The drought last Summer had a dramatic impact on 2022 corn yields in Nebraska, resulting in a statewide yield
of only 165 bushels per acre, which was the lowest yield in a decade. The 2022 average yield compares to
statewide yield levels of 194 bushels per acre in 2021, 181 bu./A in 2020, and 182 bu./A in 2019. Only five
counties in Nebraska had a 2022 average corn yield above 200 bushels per acre. The highest 2022 average corn
yield in Nebraska was 227 bu./A in Phelps County, followed by Hamilton County at 218.7 bu./A, Holt County
at 211.1 bu./A, Polk County at 210.6 bu./A, and Valley County at 204.3 bu./A. The estimated 2022 average
soybean yield in Nebraska was 49 bushels per acre, which was well below the statewide record soybean yield of
63 bu./A in 2021. The 2022 average yield compares to other recent statewide yields of 57 bu./A in 2020 and
58.5 bu./A in 2019. Eleven counties exceeded 60 bu./A, with Hamilton County topping the list at 66.9 bu./A,
followed by Phelps County at 65.5 bu./A, York County at 64.4 bu./A, Hall County at 64.1 bu./A, and Lincoln
County at 63.7 bu./A. Other counties exceeding 60 bu./A. were Adams, Dawson, Fillmore, Harlan, Perkins, and
Valley.

Wisconsin
NASS estimated the Wisconsin average corn yield in 2022 at 180 bushels per acre (bu./A), which tied the
statewide record corn yield set last year in 2021 and compares to a 2020 average yield of 174 bu./A. The highest
2022 average corn yield in Wisconsin was in Lafayette County at 217.5 bu./A, followed by Grant County at
211.3 bu./A, Rock County at 204.8 bu./A, Green County at 199.1 bu./A, and Dane County at 197.4 bu./A., with
Columbia, Dodge, Jefferson, and Walworth counties also exceeding 190 bu./A. Wisconsin had an estimated
2022 statewide average soybean yield of 54 bushels per acre, which was just below the record statewide
soybean yield of 55 bu./A. in 2021 and compared to 51 bu./A. in 2020. Lafayette County also topped the
Wisconsin soybean yields with a 2022 yield of 67.6 bu./A, which was followed by Grant County at 65.2 bu./A,
Green County at 64.8 bu./A, Dodge County at 63.9 bu./A, and Iowa County at 62.2 bu./A. Other counties
exceeding 60 bu./A. in 2022 were Dane, Columbia, Rock, and Walworth.
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Note --- For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst and Sr. Vice President,
MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. (Phone --- (507) 381-7960)
E-mail --- kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com) Web Site --- http://www.minnstarbank.com/