The annual Wayne County Corn and Soybean Yield Tour will be held Monday, August 24th marking the 43rd year for the local event.
Wayne County Corn Growers President Gregg Barnard said the tour began in 1983 during a drought and has continued as a way to provide farmers and area businesses with estimates of expected crop yields.
Eight teams will travel different routes across Wayne County, with each checking at least 10 corn and 10 soybean fields.
Teams will leave JT’s in Wayne City at 7 a.m. and return to the Wayne City Community Building at 11:30 a.m. to compile their yield estimates.
Last year’s tour estimated soybean yields at 50.3 bushels per acre across 165,500 acres and corn at 164.2 bushels per acre across 102,700 acres. The lowest yields in tour history came during its first year in 1983, when soybeans averaged 17.4 bushels and corn 34 bushels per acre.
Anyone interested in participating should contact the Wayne County Extension Office at 618-842-3702.
The tour is sponsored by the Wayne County Corn Growers and University of Illinois Extension, with FNB Community Bank providing lunch for participants.