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Record yields in sight for central Minnesota farmer

A farmer in central Minnesota could be on the verge of a record crop.

Brownton corn and soybean grower Ryan Mackenthun says bean yields range from the mid 60’s to nearly 80 bushels per acre.

“I was a little skeptical to say record here a week ago, but I think they’re going to be. I’m about half done with my acres, and they’re running 71 on two of the tougher farms I run. And that was across a scale at an elevator, so yeah I’m going to say they’re going to be record yields from my area.”

He tells Brownfield early planting and timely rains made a big difference.

“We were starting to get dry in early June, but then we started getting like an inch of rain every three days. And then by the end of June I was like ‘alright that’s enough rain, we don’t need anymore’ because it was actually getting a little wet here.”

Mackenthun, who serves as president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, says rains were timely the rest of the growing season and he could also have a record corn crop this fall.