More than a hundred crop scouts are visiting corn and soybean fields across Iowa and six other states this week. As part of the annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour, the scouts are collecting samples to gauge the potential of the Midwestern corn and soybean crops. Pioneer agronomist Chris Woerner says the rain showers that moved through the region this month were very beneficial for the soybean crop.

“Anything that’s 3-2 maturity, 3-4 maturity up, these late rains are going to make pretty good beans,” he says. “We’ve got another three weeks to go yet. We could use another rain or two in the meantime. That’s really going to help us cool down and the rains we’ve had are really helping the bean crop this year.” As he tours the corn and soybean fields, Woerner says most of the crops are maturing at a good rate and harvest this fall will likely be on schedule.

“For some of the areas that went through that five or six weeks of dry weather, some of that dryland corn might be ready to go a little bit ahead of norm, but for the most part, I’d say we’re going to be right on pace for a normal harvest.” The tour began Monday with scouts in South Dakota and Nebraska. They moved into Indiana and Illinois on Tuesday and reached Iowa on Wednesday.

Learn more at http://www.agweb.com/pro_farmer_midwest_crop_tour.aspx

(Radio Iowa)