2021 Spring Farm

2021 Logan County Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 18, 2021 Page 41 Continue 4 2020 corn production in Illinois The 2020 state average corn yield was 192.0 bushels per acre, compared to the 2019 season’s 181.0 bu/a. In the year 2020, Logan County was sixth in state corn averages with 210.7 bu/a. By comparison, 2020 was better than 2019 at 194.2, and short of 2018’s bumper 236.2 bu/a. Illinois had 11 counties with average corn yields over 205.0 bu/a. Logan County is centered and geographically contiguous with five other top counties from to Cass to Douglas. Logan County’s 210.7 bu/a put it sixth in state in corn averages. To the west, neighbor Menard County held the highest yield at 216.3 bu/a. A cluster of five counties from Warren to Marshall finish out the top finishers with Peoria County second highest at 214.7 bu/a corn. Recalling the rains of 2020, it would appear that just enough, but not too much may have correlated in those counties netting the highest averages. Logan County planted 186,500 acres and harvested 183,100 acres yielding 38,579,000 bushels corn to get its average 210.7 bu/a. Put more acres in, do a good job and with a little luck get more out. Getting it right again, McLean was the top Illinois county producer of corn. Planting 315,500 acres bringing in 311,500 acres harvest yielding 62,854,000 bushels corn for an average 201.8 bu/a. 10-year averages offer perspective Looking at long-range averages on corn in Logan County, 2020’s 210.7 bu/a was up over 2019 by 16.5 bu/a moving the 10-year average up from 189.0 bu/a to 194.5. The highest 10-year corn figure for Logan County was 236.2 bu/a and it was in 2018. The toughest of lessons and not to be forgotten was the drought of 2012, which offered most producers a modest, just above break even result, and a few unlucky others turned the soil under with nothing to report, except to insurance. The 2012 average was the low 96.5 bu/a. That drought will haunt these figures, and some memories, until the spring 2023 review.