Iowa's average soybean yield in '22 just shy of '21 record

March 2, 2023 | Joseph Hopper

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their 2022 soybean county estimates for Iowa last week. According to the data, Iowa’s average soybean yield of 58.5 bu/acre is slightly lower than the all-time state record of 62 bu/acre set in 2021. Forty-nine of Iowa’s counties averaged at least 60 bu/acre soybean yields.

Grant Kimberley, Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Sr. Director of Market Development, says improved farmer management of soybeans, improved genetics, and some timely rain likely made a big impact.

"There were some areas more severely impacted by the weather this year for sure, but overall for the statewide average to be not too far off what it was the year before is kind of amazing," Kimberley says.

Highest average soybean yield (by county)

• Scott 69.1 bu/acre
• Dubuque 68.6 bu/acre
• Delaware 67.4 bu/acre
• Cedar 67.0 bu/acre
• Des Moines 66.9 bu/acre

Highest total soybean production (by county)

• Kossuth 12.9 million bushels
• Pottawattamie 10.3 million bushels
• Benton 10.1 million bushels
• Sioux 9.96 million bushels
• Woodbury  9.55 million bushels

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