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Weather differences driving uneven crop prospects

An agronomist says crop conditions have been a mixed bag across the Midwest.

Ryan Harbison with AgroLiquid says some of the best corn and soybean fields he’s seen are in southern Illinois.

“You get outside of there though and it gets really varied,” he said. “It just depends where the rains came through this year. We’re here in South Dakota at the Hefty field day and right here on this plot it looks really good. You go 20 miles north of here and it’s in trouble. They just haven’t had the rain and have had too much heat.”

He tells Brownfield contrasting weather conditions across the region are complicating yield estimates.

“We’re going to have to wait until those truth tellers run through the field and tell us what that actual end yield is, but I see it being a very varied year this year depending on what region you’re in.”

Harbison adds disease pressure has been relatively low, specifically tar spot.

“I haven’t seen it a lot in the field this year, but I also think that’s because (growers) are being way more diligent with an early fungicide pass.”

He says tar spot needs a cool and wet environment to thrive.

Harbison spoke to Brownfield on Thursday at the 2026 Ag PhD Field Day in Baltic, South Dakota. Listen below: