Indiana farmers anticipate record soybean yields this year.

That’s according to Nathanial Warenski, state statistician for the Indiana field office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Hoosier farmers anticipate harvesting 4.95 million acres of corn, down 320,000 acres from last year, and 5.83 million acres of soybeans, up 190,000 acres from last year, according to Warenski’s report.

After a delay in planting due to cold, wet conditions, farmers were able to begin planting heavily in mid-May. Ideal planting conditions in mid- to late May allowed farmers to make excellent progress, and both corn and soybeans were nearly all planted by the second week of June.

Weather to date has been dry, and some areas have experienced drier than normal conditions, though rains in most areas have been adequate to sustain crops.

Highlights of the Aug. 1 crop production report follow:

-Indiana’s average corn yield is forecast at 189 bushels per acre, down 6 bushels from the previous year. Total production is forecast at 936 million bushels, down 9% from last year on both lower yields and fewer acres planted.

-Soybean yield is forecast at 60 bushels per acre, up 0.5 bushels from 2021. If realized, this will set a new sate record by 0.5 bushels per acre. Total production is forecast at 350 million bushels, up 4% from last year due to larger yields and more acres planted.

-Winter wheat yield is estimated at 82 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous forecast and 3 bushels below last year. Winter wheat production is forecast at 20.5 million bushels, down 11% from last year due to smaller yields and fewer acres planted.