The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its 2017 Soybean Yield Report this week.

Statewide, Minnesota averaged a 47-bushel per acre yield. 14 counties averaged at least 55 bushels per acre, with Watonwan County recording the highest yield in the State, at 60.3 bushels per acre. Martin (59.0), Faribault (58.7), Rock (58.0), and Blue Earth (57.4) Counties rounded out the top five yields of the published counties.

In 2017, five counties recorded total production over 10 million bushels of soybeans, led by Polk County, with 12.3 million bushels according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Renville (11.9 million), Redwood (11.4 million), Blue Earth (10.2 million), and Faribault (10.0 million) also topped 10 million bushels. Three districts had yields averaging over 50 bushels per acre, led by the South Central District, where yields averaged 56.7 bushels per acre. This was followed by the Southeast District (54.3) and the Southwest District (53.5).