Each year, First Mid Ag Services farm managers in Bloomington, IL estimate yields for McLean County. The 2019 estimate ranks as the 4th highest yield at 197.3 bushels per acre. Yield estimates ranged from 123 bushels per acre to 276 bushels per acre, with 47% being over 200 bushels per acre. Planting dates for the samples ranged from April 25th through June 11th with an average planting date of May 22nd. Final plant populations were recorded at 32,380 plants per acre, falling below the five-year average of 33,250 plants per acre.
Project coordinator and Farm Manager Ross Perkins noted, "As we broke out the analysis by planting date we noticed we had a couple handfuls of April planted fields from the entire data set. Over 100 of the sites were planted between May 7th and May 25th." "We are very thankful that our farm operators gave farms under our management a high priority during this period, and were able to get corn planted, if conditions were fit, on fields we manage. We know that the USDA reported as of May 20th, only 24% of the corn in Illinois was planted, so our managed farms are likely better off than an individual farmer's entire operation." said First Mid Ag Services President, Brian Thompson. "This may also make our "county average" a little higher than what reality may ultimately reveal."
"Our estimates projected that April planted corn will likely average just under 50 bushels per acre more than the June planted corn. This was directly attributable to higher ear populations and kernels per row. Significant pollinated kernel tip-back was noticed in the June planted corn, along with more earworm and aphid pressure. This makes sense as only 3 of our late planting sites were sprayed with fungicide, which often includes an insecticide as well. Farmers didn't want to delay maturation in the late planted corn that is already at risk of a normal frost date. Our data this year found that the number of rows around increased with the later planting dates.", said Perkins.
We also noticed that as we broke out data for sections of McLean County, the southern and western townships are expected to average 17-33 bushels per acre more than the northern and eastern townships in the county. "A key rainfall event the week of July 12th really helped this area of the county sustain its yield potential." said Farm Manager and Seed Program Coordinator, Tyler Roth. "We know there is going to be great variability within fields and are planning on a long harvest season with better yields likely coming at the front end of harvest."
