This fall, soybean yields in western Minnesota have been mixed, leaving some farmers slightly disappointed.
Dan Younggren, a farmer in Kittson County, told Brownfield that he had expected a yield of over 50 bushels per acre, but his crop ended up producing in the low-to-mid 40s. “It’s not a bad crop, but we were expecting a bit more. Those soybeans are in the bin, waiting for China to come buy some,” he said.
Jake Thompson from Barnes County plans to finish his soybean harvest on Tuesday. “We had a lot of rain this summer and high expectations. While we had some pretty good beans, for as good as some looked, they could have yielded better,” he commented. Soybean yields on his farm ranged from 35 to 60 bushels per acre.
Once soybean harvest is complete, Thompson expects to start harvesting sunflowers. He noted that sunflower yields have been inconsistent, though many farmers are satisfied with what has been harvested so far. Some farmers also benefited from early-harvest incentives offered by processing facilities.
Harvest statistics are currently unavailable, as the USDA’s weekly national and state crop reports have been delayed indefinitely due to the partial federal government shutdown.
