DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) -- The U.S. National Agriculture Statistics Service released the 2017 yields for Iowa in corn and beans and Iowa had the second biggest crop it's ever had.
Statewide, the corn yield average was 202 bushels an acre. Marshall County led the state with an average yield of 222.4 bushels an acre. The top five counties had yields over 220.
However, rough weather conditions last year hurt southern Iowa with averages in the mid-170s. Davis County was particularly hit hard with only 107 bushels an acre average.
For beans, the state yield average was 56.5 bushels an acre. Sioux County brought in the highest yield at 65.6 bushels. Twelve counties averaged more than 60 bushels an acre.
South Iowa beans were also stunted by drought, particularly Van Buren county, which averaged 36 bushels an acre.
Iowa Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Mike Naig says Iowa farmers are making due by continuing to bring in a huge crop, "Even though we have some challenging weather, we still have significant yields and it reminds us that we've got a lot to do to focus on making sure we've got markets for Iowa products. So, that's domestically corn and soybean that are going into the livestock market for feed or renewable fuels sector. But also, making sure we have international markets as well that we can send our products around the world."
The USDA is already thinking about the estimated planting in 2018. During the Agricultural Outlook Forum in Virginia, acreage estimates were released.
The USDA says corn and soybean acres will be split this year, about 90 million going to each. Although, some analysts think the recent soybean rally could convince farmers to plant even more soybean acres.
Wheat acres will rise a bit to 46.5 million and cotton is estimated to jump up a million acres to more than 13 million.