As the grain markets come to terms with what has been described as the "shock and awe" of record corn yields and production in the USDA-NASS 2025 annual crop production report, a look back at summer weather conditions in the central United States shows how conditions largely boosted the bin-busting numbers published on Jan. 12.

Those numbers are indeed off the charts -- national production up 14% from 2024 at the new record 17.0 billion bushels (bb) -- and average yield at a new record 186.5 bushels per acre (bpa), 7.2 bushels higher than last year's 179.3 bpa. Ten states -- Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin -- set new record yields. Looking at the central U.S., only Michigan had a lower corn production figure than in 2024. Nebraska produced more than 2 bb for the first time ever. South Dakota joined the 1-bb state production club. Indiana topped 1 bb for the second time in the past three years. And Kansas and Minnesota production surpassed 2024 by well over 20%.

Now to the details of the summer to remember when it comes to corn production. The 2025 summer largely featured temperatures that were above average in the central U.S.; but only the state of Ohio recorded temperatures for the summer season (June, July and August) that were in the much above average category. And North Dakota, South Dakota and Kansas temperatures for the summer were classified as near average. The warm, but not hot, pattern and lack of severe heat waves were very favorable to corn pollination and kernel set.

Crop year 2025 also featured precipitation totals that generally favored production. No state in the central U.S. had June-July-August precipitation totals that were below average. The northern Midwest and most states in the Plains had at least "above average" precipitation for the 2025 summer season, with Nebraska and Iowa logging "much above average" precipitation for the 2025 summer season.

Further digging into the 2025 central U.S. crop weather story shows that July -- the key month for corn pollination and early grain fill -- was very favorable for crop prospects. USDA's Aug. 12, 2025, Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin summary emphasized favorable July precipitation and its impact on corn progress and condition: "Most areas east of the Rockies received abundant rainfall for the second month in a row, maintaining mostly favorable growing conditions for a variety of summer crops," the report noted. Indeed, by early August, 42% of the U.S. corn crop was reported to be in the dough stage or beyond. The message in the dough stage detail is that, by and large, the record-breaking U.S. corn crop pollinated and got started well during July.

So, for U.S. agriculture, 2025 will be looked at as a year of abundance. Dryness and drought affected barley and spring wheat production. Other crops did well; and the performance of the U.S. corn crop, with its record-setting highlights, vividly illustrates the generally beneficial weather conditions for crops in a memorable 2025.

Bryce Anderson can be reached at bryce.anderson@dtn.com

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