Staff photo by Fritz Busch A cornfield west of New Ulm includes several harvested rows at the outside edge of the field. Due to the drought, expected yields are consistently below historical averages, according to the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

NEW ULM — While recent rain is music to the ears of area corn and bean producers, forecast yields are less than last year.

“Last weekend’s rain will help with tillage and anhydrous application. Everybody is happy about the rain. It will help build up soil moisture for next spring, but the ground is really hard,” said South Central College Farm Business Management Instructor Wayne Schoper.

“We anticipate 180 to 190 bushel corn and about 50 bushel beans this year, depending on where it rained in August,” said Schoper.

“That compares to 215 bushel corn and 65 bushel beans last year,” he added.

Schoper said the south central Minnesota harvest has barely begun this week.

“We’ve got a few days left before harvest for most people, but when we row, we really row hard,” he added.

Extreme drought continues in the southwest and southeast corners of Minnesota, much of Waseca County and in the eastern edge of Stearns County, according to the Sept. 28, 2023 U.S. Drought Monitor.

Southern Research and Outreach researcher Tom Hoverstad said the Waseca area had the fourth driest crop growing season since 1915.

St. James farmer Matt Wolle said his cornfields are not uniform with some parts looking good and others with yields as low as 140 bushels.

Redwood County Corn & Soybean Growers Association Chairman Jeff Sorenson of Morgan said several inches of rain in early August turned around his soybeans and kept his corn from diminishing further than it was at the time.

All of Minnesota continues to be at least abnormally dry with the least amount of drought in and around Moorhead and in the northeast corner.

Above average temperatures are forecast for Minnesota through March 2024 and July through December 2024, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Below average precipitation is forecast for much of Minnesota through March 2024 but above average in southern Minnesota from October through December 2024.

Just over nine inches of rain is needed in south central Minnesota to end drought conditions in one month, according to NOAA. More than 7.5 inches of rain is needed in southwest Minnesota, 10.3 inches in central Minnesota and 10.07 inches in southeastern Minnesota.

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources forecasts Midwest corn yields at seven percent lower than its previous forecast. Irrigated corn forecast yields are eight percent lower than they were in 2022.