South Dakota has an excellent corn and soybean crop on tap but some agronomists are skeptical production will top last year or set any records. In this week’s USDA crop progress report row crops had high condition ratings with 76-percent of the soybeans rated good to excellent and 75-percent of the corn in that category. Maturity is also ahead of average with corn silking at 71-percent, well ahead of the 56-percent average.

Arlo Lykken, agronomist with Valley Ag in Spink says growing degree days are running at normal pace as well.

However, he’s cautiously optimistic about bumper crops, but doesn’t think many areas of southeastern South Dakota will top 2014.

As a result he isn’t expecting the record row crop production in South Dakota that some in the market are predicting.