The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reduced corn and soybean yield estimates last week nationwide and in Iowa in the Sept. 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, the first of the year to incorporate field crop sampling.

The reduction was mostly expected following ongoing drought conditions and stifling July-August heat across parts of the Corn Belt. 

U.S. corn yield estimates were lowered to 173.8 bushels per acre, a decrease of 1.3 bushels from last month, while soybean yield estimates dropped to 50.1 bushels per acre, a 0.8 bushel decrease from August. Both were previously lowered from July to ...