Takeaway

Midwest harvest reports reflect solid-to-strong localized production in northern Iowa and Minnesota driven by favorable moisture, offsetting pressure from high input costs. However, regional outcomes remain mixed, with parts of Illinois lagging multi-year historical averages and confronting localized field water issues.

What the presenter said

• Harvest activity is actively underway this week across Northern Iowa [00:13].
• Cresco, Iowa farmer Darrick Burnikel has wrapped up soybean harvesting and transitioned back into corn [00:19].
• Field moisture monitors in Cresco show corn at approximately 18%, against an area baseline running between 16% and 19% [00:33].
• Burnikel’s operations accumulated roughly 10 inches more rainfall than normal across the growing season while missing severe local weather events [01:02].
• The Cresco corn crop is tracking firmly above Actual Production History (APH), supported by strong spring emergence and even crop stands [01:12, 01:40].
• Elevated input expenses, specifically diesel fuel, represent a major operational headwind, though strong yields are helping to offset margin compression [02:02, 02:25].
• Fungicide applications delivered strong returns this cycle by mitigating foliar disease pressure [02:37].
• In Newell, Northwest Iowa, Matt McCarthy switched back to corn harvesting, reporting moisture near 15% and test weights around 58 bushels per acre [03:12].
• Southwest Iowa producers Luke and Pat Sheldon (Percival) reported better-than-expected soybean yields of 70 to 80 bushels per acre, matching year-ago levels [03:27].
• Cody White in Maroa, Illinois, completed harvest, noting soybean yields in line with the prior two years, but corn yields came in approximately 12% below the five-year average [03:42].
• Chris and Dave Harrell in Carthage, Illinois, near harvest completion, with early-to-mid May plantings delivering top corn yields, though some unharvested corn remains standing in water [03:55, 04:05].
• In Mankato, Minnesota, Chris Schenk harvested roughly 100 acres of corn following over an inch of weekend precipitation; moisture is running near 15%, and a 44-hybrid test plot averaged 265 bushels per acre [04:08, 04:19].

Trade ideas

None stated. No actionable trade recommendations were put forward; the video focused entirely on regional yield, moisture, and harvest pace observations across the Corn Belt.

Levels and data cited

• Cresco, IA (Darrick Burnikel): Corn moisture at 18% (regional average 16–19%); rainfall about 10 inches above normal; corn population at ~36,000.
• Newell, IA (Matt McCarthy): Corn moisture at ~15%; corn yields/test weights around 58 bushels per acre.
• Percival, IA (Luke & Pat Sheldon): Soybean yields at 70–80 bushels per acre.
• Maroa, IL (Cody White): Corn yields 12% below the five-year average.
• Mankato, MN (Chris Schenk): Weekend rainfall over an inch; ~100 acres corn harvested; test plot yield at 265 bushels per acre across 44 hybrids; corn moisture around 15%.

Risks and what would invalidate this

• Sustained high input costs, notably elevated diesel prices, challenging net producer margins despite above-average yields.
• Excess field moisture and standing water (such as reported in Carthage, Illinois), creating potential harvest delays or crop quality degradation.