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USDA projects big crops in Indiana

An extension corn specialist says USDA’s 187 bushel average for corn is on the high end of what he would have expected.

Purdue’s Bob Nielsen says the projection is about 13 percent above Indiana’s trend-line yield.   “It was on the high end in my mind because of what I’ve seen in recent weeks around the state,” he says.  “Especially the dryness in the northeast part of the state is frankly pretty severe.  In certain counties of the state I think there will be some yield losses that show up in the next yield report coming out of the northeast and to a certain degree parts of the

As for the rest of the state, Nielsen says the crop has looked good from the beginning and has tolerated this recent swing of hot temperatures really well.

AUDIO: Bob Nielsen, Purdue University

The soybean crop is projected to average 55 bushels per acre.  After a slow start to the growing season, Purdue Extension agronomist Shaun Casteel says the crop has caught up.

But – it needs water to finish strong.  “At this point we’re at least six to nine inches of water that’s needed,” he says.  “Now that’s not just rainfall, it’s also soil moisture.  Put that together – I think we can certainly get to that 55 bushel mark and probably even then some if it comes at a timely fashion.”

AUDIO: Shaun Casteel, Purdue University

Parts of the state have received several inches of rainfall over the weekend – and there is more rain in the forecast for this week.