Corn Yields Looking Good in Michiana
Published: Friday, October 23, 2026
Area farmers are enjoying ideal weather conditions as they move past the halfway point of the harvest season. While yields vary from just above average to just below average, farmers are pleased, overall, that the weather is cooperating. The one negative is high diesel prices.
Nathan Wisler of Howe said he has completed roughly three-quarters of soybean harvest and about 50% on the corn harvest.
"I would say we're about average or maybe just a little above average for the type of soil that we're on," said Wisler, referring to both crops.
Soybeans are yielding between 60 and 75 bushels per acre on sandy soil with irrigation. However, he lost some irrigation pivots due to a tornado on June 11. It was several weeks before he could resume irrigation.
"That made an impact on our yields," he said.
With this week's warm weather, he said there have been no problems moving the combine in the field.
"We haven't had any rut issues yet," he said. "The ground has been in good condition where we are at."
He said the high cost of diesel fuel is "eating us alive."
In the New Paris-Syracuse area, the corn is looking "real, real good," whereas soybean yields are closer to average, said farmer Doug Thwaits.
"The corn is just kinda over the top this year," he said. "I think we had some really good growing conditions. One thing we did is we had a perfect stand this year."
With a good stand and good growing conditions, Thwaits said the corn crop did really well.
Harvest conditions are just what farmers ordered.
"Everything seems to be going pretty well, and we're pretty happy with harvest so far," he said.
Regarding the recent announcement that farmers are exempt from taxes on dyed diesel, Thwaits said every little bit helps, but he's not expecting it to make a big difference. The exemption applies only to pickup trucks and semis as they're hauling grain to market and for other farm use.
According to Monday's report from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Indiana corn harvest, as of Sunday, sits at 46%, the same as the five-year average. In Michigan, corn harvest is only 13% complete. That's well short of the five-year average of 31%.
As of Sunday, the soybean harvest in Indiana is 59% complete, on par with the five-year average. In Michigan, 37% of soybeans have been harvested as of Sunday. The five year average is 51%.
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