2025 Digital Yield Tour - Wisconsin

Editor's note: This story was completed with DTN's yield model results as of Aug. 1, and commentary was collected prior to the heavy flooding event of Aug. 9-10.

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OMAHA (DTN) -- The 2025 DTN Digital Yield Tour predicts Wisconsin corn yields will beat the five-year average, while soybeans will be closer to average.

Albeit not a prediction for a record corn crop, weather and growing conditions fuel farmer optimism as they look to their own crop -- and neighboring crops -- for yield estimate insights.

CORN YIELD ESTIMATES:

-- DTN 2025: 194.3 bushels per acre (bpa)

-- DTN 2024: 198 bpa

-- USDA RMA 5-YEAR AVERAGE: 180.9

SOYBEAN YIELD ESTIMATES:

-- DTN 2025: 51.6 bpa

-- DTN 2024: 61.8 bpa

-- USDA RMA 5-YEAR AVERAGE: 51 bpa

While the DTN Digital Yield Tour is in its eighth season, this is the second year that employs DTN's proprietary crop yield models. For more about how those models work, what makes them unique and some of the challenges posed by conditions this growing season, please see: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Results for all states covered by the tour can be found here: https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Updated yield estimates will be shared in a DTN Ag Summit Series webinar on Aug. 19, along with fall weather and market outlooks. You can register for free here: https://dtn.link/…

WEATHER COMMENTARY

Although the planting season in Wisconsin started slowly with some drought lingering, June brought an active weather pattern that made drought recovery possible through the summer.

"Some areas across the south did not fare as well as the north in June, but have made up some good ground lately, especially in late July," said DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick. "All-in-all, the severe weather situation has not been much of a problem, at least not more than it normally is, giving Wisconsin a good prospect heading into August."

Baranick said he frequently drives from his home in Minnesota to his parents' home in western Wisconsin.

"I was amazed at how great both corn and soybeans looked in the region," he said. "Very few areas looked like they were experiencing issues. There were some ... (areas) that had obvious issues with standing water, but those were few and far between. Corn has been very tall, dark green and even, while soybeans have been tall with full canopies, and dark green as well. It's not what I usually see on my trips during the summer."

MARKET COMMENTARY

"Entering the month of August, at 81% good to excellent, Wisconsin holds the distinction of having the second highest rated corn crop of the 18 states reported on weekly by USDA, behind only Iowa," DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery said. "Interestingly, over the past five years, Wisconsin has averaged the highest crop score for early August of the states covered in this year's Digital Yield Tour. Given the higher rating compared to the record-setting years in 2021 and 2022 for Wisconsin corn yield, it seems reasonable at this point to expect another challenge of that mark in 2025," he said.

"The 2025 Wisconsin soybean crop is also rated highly, second only to Louisiana in weekly state rankings, and even one point ahead of Iowa. Given good-to-excellent ratings are 21% higher entering August in 2025, as compared to 2024, it was interesting to see the Yield Tour is estimating 2025 yields lower than was found last August, and 3% below the state's five-year average, potentially highlighting the difference in appraisal at the ground level versus satellite level. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out through harvest; but for now, as with all soybean estimates, I am okay with a conservative yield estimate ahead of all important August weather."

OBSERVATIONS

-- Brad Laack, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin:

Brad Laack, who raises corn, soybeans, winter wheat and alfalfa near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, has experienced some of the best crop conditions in his farming career this season. Crops are ahead of schedule on growth with adequate moisture throughout the season.

"If we have one or two more rain events in moderation, I think we're on pace to a record crop. But we're also one weather event from having a disaster as well; so, I mean, it looks too good to be true," Laack said.

As harvest nears, Laack said pollination issues are showing up in the Sheboygan Falls area.

"Our silks on the corn seem to be way longer than they typically are. We're not reaching brown silk as fast as we have in the past. Our pollination is in question because we've got a lot of corn pollinating this week and last week, and our temperatures are a lot warmer than normal," he said.

On soybeans, Laack is worried about white mold, also known as Sclerotinia stem rot, which thrives in wet and humid conditions. "That'll take your bushels from 70 to 15," he said.

-- Adam Kolb, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin:

About five miles from Lake Michigan in Manitowoc County, farmer and crop consultant Adam Kolb is optimistic for his farm's yield potential and hopes to break his own record this season. He grows corn, soybeans, winter wheat and alfalfa.

Corn and soybean planting started slowly on his northeastern Wisconsin farm in May, but initial growth was slow due to lower temperatures. By mid-June, the heat turned up.

"It seemed it took all of May and at least the first half of June to get some decent heat. For the first month, they (the crops) were hardly doing anything because of how cold it was and then, all of a sudden, the second half of June and all of July now, the heat turned on and we've been getting perfect rains," Kolb said.

As of early August, Kolb said the corn and soybeans look fantastic.

"The corn is probably the most consistent in terms of color that I've seen in at least five years. This beautiful green corn everywhere you go. I'm very optimistic right now," Kolb said.

Timely rains are important in the upcoming weeks to support both corn and soybean yield potential, Kolb said.

"The corn is going to be able to weather the dryness a little better. The beans, though, I'm afraid that we'll probably start to lose pods if we don't get those timely rains."

Kolb said humid and hot conditions in Wisconsin have raised some disease concerns among farmers.

"We've had such a warm, humid summer and we have been getting fairly consistent rains, so there's a lot of crop canopy there. Personally, I went out and treated all of my beans and my corn acres with fungicide to try and protect the crop, and I encourage a lot of my clients to do the same," he added.

Nearing September, Kolb is reminded of a goal he's set for himself -- 220-plus bpa on corn and 80 bpa on soybeans this year.

"We've tried to do everything right up to this point. The closest I've gotten on beans was 77 bpa and the best I've done on corn was 225, so I would love to break both of those records," Kolb said.

On a state level, Kolb said DTN's estimate for corn -- 194.3 bpa -- is close because growers that manage aggressively will likely exceed 200 bpa. Kolb said DTN's estimate on soybeans -- 51.6 bpa -- is low, mainly because of genetic advancements. He's seen beans in his area yield over a 60-bpa threshold.

-- Mark Bacon, Hancock, Wisconsin:

In central Wisconsin, Mark Bacon of Hancock, has been checking ears for signs of good pollination, and so far into August, "Corn is looking very good. Some of the dryland around the area is starting to fire up a bit, I'm sure that's hurting some of the yield potential, but otherwise, the crop looks very, very good," he said.

Early on, Bacon said corn was five to 10 days behind because of chilly weather. Soybeans were also short and slow coming.

"They took their time getting going, but in the last three weeks to a month they have taken off and are looking pretty decent," Bacon said. "But I really feel like they are probably a week behind as well, and that it may affect the yield by a small amount."

He said this year looks a lot like 2023. "For us, it was about above average. There's a strong chance that the Wisconsin average could be 13-15 bushels higher than normal. Farmers are typically optimistic people, but I would say based on the look of the crop it's shaping up to be an above average crop," he continued.

In 2023, Bacon saw yields like he had never seen before in central Wisconsin and hopes to see those again this year.

"Right now, we could use a little bit of rain; we don't need any nasty storms, but anytime we can get a little help from Mother Nature, it's nice. It's easier for us to add moisture to a corn crop than it is to take it away," Bacon said.

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Editor's note: DTN will make its proprietary crop yield predictions available to members for the 2026 growing season, in an interactive experience. Members will be able to see bi-weekly updates on yield at the state, county and field level. The yield data will be found exclusively on DTN's new site that will launch in early 2026. This site will include DTN's agriculture news, markets commentary, weather forecasting and a number of farm operation features, such as yield predictions, agronomic models, and transactional tools. If you'd like to receive updates on the new platform and get early access, you can sign up here. https://dtn.link/…

Susan Payne can be reached at susan.payne@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @jpusan

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