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 The national summary
released in January said:
"U.S. corn growers produced 14.2 billion bushels, up 4% from 2019.
Corn yield in the United States is estimated at 172.0 bushels per
acre, 4.5 bushels above the 2019 yield of 167.5 bushels per acre.
Area harvested for grain, at 82.5 million acres, is up 1% from 2019.
"Soybean production for 2020 totaled 4.14 billion bushels, up 16%
from 2019. With record high yields in Indiana, Kentucky,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, and Tennessee, the average
soybean yield is estimated at 50.2 bushels per acre, 2.8 bushels
above 2019."
2020 corn production in Illinois
Click to enlarge
Illinois Corn - County Estimates - Pdf
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.
It requires preparedness, perspective and perseverance to stay in
crop farming since the product is at the mercy of the elements and
pests 24/7.
[to top of second column] |
 Illinois
2020 soybeans
Click to enlarge
Illinois Soybeans - County Estimates - Pdf
The state soybean average was
59.0 bushels to the acre with the top 11 counties averaging over
65.0 bu/a.
Logan and Sangamon counties tied second in Illinois' highest average
at 67.6, to Piatt County's high 70.5 bu/a.
Notable and seen best by viewing the subsequent shown color blocked
county yield maps, was location. In both corn and soybeans, Logan
County was at the center of the counties with the highest yields in
the state for both corn and soybeans.
For soybeans, nine centrally located contiguous counties measured
65.5 to 70.5 bu/a. Western Illinois' Hancock and Warren counties
rounded out the top soybean averages at 65.6 and 65.5 bu/a,
respectively.
Logan County's estimated soybean yield did not get reported for
2019. With no report in 2019, using nine years of figures for the
so-called 10-year average, this figure increased from 59.9 to 67.7
bu/a.
Not to be confused, both the 2020 bu/a and the 10-year average bu/a
are the same figure, 67.7 bu/a, but each has a different meaning. As
described above it represents the average over 10 years, and as seen
below it represents a single year, 2020.
Logan County planted 145,000 acres soybeans, harvested 144,400 acres
for 9,761,000 bushels, averaging 67.7 bu/a.
Illinois counties producing highest volume of soybeans:
McLean County continues to hold the lead in number acres planted and
harvested resulting in the highest production with 307,500 acres
planted, 306,500 acres harvested, yielding 19,252,000 bushels
soybeans with an average 62.8 bu/a.
Iroquois County holds a close second producing 17,081,000 bushels,
59.0 bu/a; and Champaign comes in third at 16,575,000 bushels, 65.0
bu/a.
Have you ever wondered how many corn kernels or beans fill a bushel.
There's probably an average based on varieties and sizes for each
grain. But think about it, these millions of bushels of corn and
beans reported by 102 Illinois counties give the term 'bean counter'
a new perspective.
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