One of the persistent questions about the growing season of 2017 is how highly variable weather will affect yields. Now, even farmers’ opinions are showing the same inconsistencies as they continue to report everything from boom to bust.

Ratings of corn and soybeans reported to Feedback From The Field last week improved to the best level since July. At the same time those same producers posted lower yields than seen the previous week, keeping averages well below estimates made by USDA Sept. 12.

But rather than estimates, farmers now are putting up actual numbers off the combine.

One producer from western Wisconsin said 300 acres of corn were cut with 2,500 left. “Yield so far 64 bushels,” was the verdict.

“Too many blank spots,” said another producer in east central Iowa. While yields were estimated at 215 bpa for corn and 62 bpa soybeans, the results were not as good as expected. “Water damaged areas and dry late causing average yields to be down,” was the judgement.

While growers in the eastern Midwest have complained about adverse conditions since spring, those in the west also faced adversity.

“Extremely variable yields in soybeans,” said a producer from eastern Nebraska who put average yields at 157 for corn and 38 for soybeans. “Some fields topping out at 65 bpa and others fields in mid 30s.”

Added a grower from north central Kansas: “Dry land corn is way down from what we thought we had. Beans are all over the place in our area, 60 down to 21 on the dry land beans.”

Click this Feedback From The Field link to rate crops in your area and provide yield estimates in your fields. We’ll update reports with the interactive map below that lets you see what other growers are saying around the country. Click the box in the upper left-hand corner to bring up the weekly index; scroll down to see the most current week.

Follow season progress by clicking on the links below.

Feedback from the field - April 24, 2017 - Growers report slow start in northwest Corn Belt.

Feedback from the Field - April 28, 2017 - ‘Baby it’s cold outside’ isn’t the song farmers want to hear.

Feedback from the Field - May 8, 2017 - Emergence sputters as planting slows

Feedback from the Field - May 12, 2017 - Farms make progress but weather still an issue

Feedback from the Field - May 17, 2017 - Growers wary of this week’s new storms

Feedback from the Field - May 19, 2017 - Farmers face cold, wet end to May

Feedback from the Field - May 23, 2017 - Planting proceeds, questions remain

Feedback from the Field - May 26, 2017 - Some growers wonder if it will ever stop raining

Feedback from the Field - June 5, 2017 - Emerging drought threatens spring wheat crop

Feedback from the Field - June 7, 2017 - Progress, problems noted in early growing season

Feedback from the Field - June 12, 2017 - Conditions turned hot and dry last week

Feedback from the Field - June 19, 2017 - Rains improve conditions, but challenges remain

Feedback from the Field - June 26, 2017 - Crops improve but remain below average in year of extremes

Feedback from the Field - July 3, 2017 - Farmers report dire conditions on the northern Plains

Feedback from the Field - July 10, 2017 - Growers still say conditions are below USDA’s crop ratings

Feedback From The Field - July 17, 2017 - Too much or too little: No Goldilocks moment for U.S. crops

Feedback from the Field - July 31, 2017 - Growers say crops still suffering despite rain and cooler temperatures

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 7, 2017 - Growers note small improvement overall in corn and soybeans last week

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 14, 2017 - Crops improve but growers say yields are below USDA forecast

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 21, 2017 - Rain still crucial as growing season winds down

Feedback from the Field - Aug. 28, 2017 - Mild weather improves crops though problem pockets persist

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 5, 2017 - Growers report lower corn and soybean yields than USDA forecasts

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 11, 2017 - Yields look decent but lagging development raises red flag

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 18, 2017 - Growers beg to differ with USDA on size of crops

Feedback from the Field - Sept. 25, 2017 - Crops improve but still far below USDA estimates