As day one of the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour kicked off, scouts set out for a glimpse into what Ohio’s fields will produce this year.

“The goal is to pull as many samples as we can along the respective routes to give us a representative sample of what's out here in the western half of Ohio and into Indiana,” says Brian Grete, Pro Farmer Crop Tour eastern leg.

In 10 stops in Ohio crop districts 4, 5 & 7, the avg. pod count in a 3’x3’ square is 1198.6. Range of 704 to 1803. Plant health is good and most of the pod counts were 950+ #pftour20

— Brian Grete (@BGrete) August 17, 2020

He says heading into the tour this year, he knew Ohio’s moisture story was mixed this year.

“Ohio is typically one of those hit-or-miss states, and it looked like, driving in, that some of the areas obviously were hit with some rains in a timely fashion and some areas weren't,” says Grete.

After 7 stops across central and western Ohio, average is 193.8 bu/acre for corn. #pftour20

— Noah Alexander Smith (@noahsmith__27) August 17, 2020

For eastern leg scout Mike Berdo, the route he was on to start the Pro Farmer Crop Tour was a disappointing one in Ohio.

“They weren't very good, lower count and a lot of bare stocks,” says Mike Berdo, a farmer in Iowa. “The ears that we did pull are small and very immature.”

The start to the 2020 Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour showed just how sparse the ear counts are in Ohio corn, especially just outside of Columbus, Ohio area.

“I'm very shocked at the ear count so far,” says Berdo. “I thought we'd see a lot better than we are seeing right now.”

Allen county Indiana a mixed bag but getting better #pftour20 pic.twitter.com/t5tanZdwen

— Mike (@BerdoMike) August 17, 2020

As scouts set off farther west, the counted crop came in a little better.

“We're getting into some better corn,” says Berdo. “The last yield check I believe was 126 bushel [per acre].”

Berdo says he saw more consistent ear counts, but not a perfect one, as the immature crop is still in the making. 

“The crop still has a long way to go,” he says. “There is some denting, but the milk lines are still two- thirds and three-fourths of the way up there.”

Tough crops in Hardin County Ohio. This is not sweet corn. Definitely hurt from lack of moisture earlier this summer. @Caseman4994 #pftour20 pic.twitter.com/tvqdEAFiQL

— Jim Smith, Ph.D. (@JimSmith87) August 17, 2020

As for soybeans in Ohio, the situation looks better.

“In the soybeans, we've seen some variability here,” says Mark Bernard, veteran eastern leg Pro Farmer Crop Tour agronomist. “We've seen a lot of small pods here that look like they've benefited from the recent rains.”

As Bernard says, Ohio’s results vary.

“I'd say it's going to be kind of a mixed bag in Ohio this year,” says Bernard. “If you're farming corn here, it's probably not going to be real great. If you're raising soybeans here, there may be a little silver lining to this season’s rainfall and a good crop.”

Stop 6 in Hardin County Ohio was another rough one with severe heat and drought stress, estimated at only 121.94. @Caseman4994 #pftour20 pic.twitter.com/OWml6SflOw

— Jim Smith, Ph.D. (@JimSmith87) August 17, 2020

USDA pegged Ohio’s corn yield at 175 bushels per acre in the August report, which is 11 bushels per acre higher than last year. Soybeans are forecast to see a 58-bushel-per-acre yield in the state, which is 9 bushels higher than last year.

“If the Ohio crop comes in really high or really low, then there would be a surprise obviously. Year-over-year change is going to be pretty significant because of last year’s struggles out here.”

Grete says while the Crop Tour will ground truth in Ohio’s crops, the Pro Farmer Crop Tour isn’t out to prove or disprove USDA. Instead, it’s to get an accurate, representative sample of the yield potential in the third week of August.