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Nebraska farmer says yields beat expectations despite drought, dust, fires, tornadoes

Northeast Nebraska farmer Anne Meis says she’s wrapping up the most challenging harvest ever.

“I can’t remember a harvest where we haven’t had a rain break. We haven’t had any rain breaks since we started harvest.  That’s unusual.  That’s scary going into next year without any subsoil moisture.”  

But, she tells Brownfield, yields have exceeded expectations despite historic drought. “If we’re talking irrigated corn, we’re making about 210 to 240. Those are ok yields, but they’re not record-breaking yields. In the irrigated beans, we’re averaging around 65 bushels per acre.  Those are ok too.  In our dryland beans, we were lucky to make 25 bushels per acre.”

Meis says farmers are concerned about wildfires, dust storms and even tornadoes. “Sunday was just nasty. That were some pretty torrential winds.  There was even a tornado that touched down just east of us.”

She says other farmers have reported significant reductions in yields in the area.