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Hill and Furrow

Current topics about crop production in Western Illinois, including field crops research at the NWIARDC in Monmouth.

February 25, 2013

Illinois county average 2012 yields released

I know that many producers like to compare the average grain yield of their operation to the county average. The United States Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) released estimates of 2012 county corn and soybean yield averages on February 21, 2013. I have listed the 2011 and 2012 estimates for 16 counties in West-central Illinois and have subtracted the 2011 average from 2012 to show how 2012 and 2011 yield averages compared.

For corn (Table 1), only Mercer and Henderson Counties had higher average yields in 2012 than in 2011. For the other 14 counties, 2012 yields were less than 1 bushel to more than 60 bushels lower than, or 99.6 to 55.9 percent of, 2011 yields.  Those counties that had dramatically lower yield averages in 2012 than in 2011, tended to be farther South and have more severe drought than others (Figure).

For soybean (Table 2), Mercer, Hancock and Henderson Counties had higher yields in 2012 than in 2011. For the other 13 counties, 2012 yields were 0.1 to 9.7 bushels lower than, or 99.8 to 84.7 percent of, 2011 yields.

Table 1. County average corn yield estimates for 2011 and 2012 (USDA/USDA).

County

Yield Estimate

Bu/A

2011

2012

Difference

Adams

135.8

76.0

-59.8

Brown

127.0

87.0

-40.0

Fulton

151.2

114.5

-36.7

Hancock

134.9

134.3

-0.6

Henderson

159.5

162.6

3.1

Henry

174.4

140.0

-34.4

Knox

169.5

160.8

-8.7

Mason

142.7

110.2

-32.5

McDonough

166.9

139.0

-27.9

Mercer

161.9

180.1

18.2

Peoria

168.9

161.9

-7.0

Pike

150.7

90.5

-60.2

Rock Island a

176.4

157.3

-19.1

Stark

181.2

148.4

-32.8

Tazewell

172.7

133.4

-39.3

Warren

177.4

164.9

-12.5

a In 2012, average yield estimates from Putnam and Rock Island Counties were combined.

Table 2. County average soybean yield estimates for 2011 and 2012 (USDA/USDA).

County

Yield Estimate

Bu/A

2011

2012

Difference

Adams

41.4

40.7

-0.7

Brown

38.8

37.4

-1.4

Fulton

50.0

45.8

-4.2

Hancock

45.5

48.7

3.2

Henderson

55.3

55.4

0.1

Henry

60.6

50.9

-9.7

Knox

61.9

55.9

-6.0

Mason

44.3

36.8

-7.5

McDonough

58.5

50.0

-8.5

Mercer

52.9

56.1

3.2

Peoria

58.0

54.1

-3.9

Pike

44.5

44.4

-0.1

Rock Island

59.4

 50.3 -9.1

Stark

59.5

51.0

-8.5

Tazewell

57.3

51.5

-5.8

Warren

58.8

57.2

-1.6

Posted by Angie Peltier at 2:42 PM | Permalink |
Categories: Agronomics, Harvest, Weather
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