Allendale survey projects lower yields than USDA estimates

MCHENRY, Ill. — An agriculture commodity brokerage and analysis firm found fewer corn and soybean bushels than the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated in its August estimates.

Allendale Inc. found in its 36th annual nationwide producer survey average yields of 187.52 bushels per acre for corn and 53.28 bushels per acre for soybeans. USDA projected 188.8 for corn and 53.6 for soybeans last month.

If realized, based on USDA’s harvested acres estimate, Allendale’s corn yield would produce 16.631 billion bushels of corn and 4.268 billion bushels of soybeans, compared to 16.742 billion and 4.292 billion, respectively, projected by USDA.

Last year, corn production totaled 14.867 billion bushels, with soybeans at 4.366 billion bushels.

‘I’ States

In Illinois, Allendale’s yield average estimates were 216 and 60, while USDA estimated 221 and 65 bushels per acre for corn and soybeans. The state’s yields averaged 217 and 64 in 2024.

The survey also had lower estimates in Indiana than the USDA’s projections with corn and soybean yield averages of 196 and 57.

USDA’s August survey estimates Indiana yields of 205 and 62 bushels per acre, after averaging 198 and 59 in 2024.

Based on survey information, Iowa’s corn and soybean yield estimates were higher than USDA’s with corn at 223 and soybeans at 65 bushels per acre. USDA projected 222 and 63 last month.

Iowa averaged 211 and 60 bushels per acre for corn and soybeans, respectively, in 2024.

Survey Procedures

The surveys were conducted Aug. 18-29 directly by Allendale brokers, its website and social media platforms.

These estimates were based on producing calculated yields in 25 states. Ample surveys provided the numbers needed to project yields in 12 states.

This covers 87% of corn production and 84% of soybean production, according to Allendale.

For this survey, the smaller states were assumed using USDA’s Aug. 12 estimates. All harvested acreage was assumed using USDA’s August estimates.

Marketing

On the corn side, survey respondents said they had marketed only 15% of new crop. That is the lowest in at least six years of prior August surveys. In prior recent years, sales of 21% to 35% had been made by now for new crop corn.

Soybean producers stated in the survey they had marketed only 16% of new crop through the end of August, the lowest in six years.

In the previous five survey years, new crop sales were 20% to 34% complete through the end of August.