which State best for crops?

Which state do you think has the best soil and weather to grow grain in.

Corn and soybeans?

Or small grains?

Corn, there is an arc from Nebraska to Indiana (circles up in southern Minnesota) the northern corn belt, that has some great conditions for corn and beans. Some areas need irrigation, some need tile. But the climate is right, and there are big patches of good dirt here and there.

In general dirt farther north is deeper and richer, because sunshine and warm temps break down dirt into less organic matter. The breakdown is much slower when the ground is covered in snow and ice 6months a year..... on the other hand, a lot of the super high yielding champs in corn and soybeans growing 500bu and 150bu crops are in Missouri and Georgia where the dirt is poor sand, but they have endless supplies of water and can use their irrigation to spoon feed nutrients to their crops every week, and the sun always shines so the crop grows every day. So some of the best crops can be grown in the worst soil...... the ground is cheap to buy, you can put your money into the irrigation equipment, and have some of the best crops.....

So, what?s the question again? Depends on how you are asking iit. There are a couple patches in northern Iowa, parts of Illinois, and a pocket in Minnesota that have been considered the best natural soil. When it sells for $12,000 an acre, I?m not sure it?s the best investment any more?

Paul

ill.

For corn and soybeans the northern half of IL or the central part of Iowa.

Hard to beat central Iowa for corn or beans.

Are we judging this land on BPA or profit per acre.
Higher BPA does not always equal higher profit per acre.

(quoted from post at 12:42:23 10/28/18) Which state do you think has the best soil and weather to grow grain in.

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Kansas does a pretty good job of growing wheat, corn and beans.

California and Colorado for the most profitable crop.

There are no 500 bu corn and 150 beans in missouri

I was wondering about those numbers.

Some of the best soil for growing grain is probably near Champaign, IL. Certain counties in central / north Iowa should be able to match IL bushel for bushel.

Was thinking along those lines 😂😂

world record corn grown in virginia I read once, bout 500+ bu

Yep down in Charles County Virginia a long the James River.

Actually Charles City County

Alaska has great soil and the sun shines 20 hours a day in the summer!

Not sure I'd go along with Minn. In the southern half maybe but up north here its either too dry or too wet. Up here in the sand it just about takes 20 acres to keep one beef cow alive. But then you go down in the bottoms and its nothing but loon sh*t slime. Not to mention rocks.

What crop? California leads the nation in production of many crops, due to the size of the state and varied terrain. Michigan corn/beans won't set too many records, but we grow as much fruit as you can eat, with areas rivaling CA, WA and NY.

Hawaii may have the best deal going, while the soil isn't necessarily the most fertile, the weather allows for multiple corn/bean crops in one year. And the scenery is decent, too.

Michigan has so many varied climates, soils and economies. What about the Thumb area for natural soil fertility and depth of top soil? Yeh, I know that drainage is a problem, but that can be controlled.

And to drive home my point, compare The Thumb with the UP with its sterile sand and less than 90 day growing season.

With the hilly conditions of the better part of IA it should have never been broke out of native grasses and kept in pasture or hay. If you look at the wash ditches around Ia as you drive you will see what I mean. Not saying it doesn't grow good crops on it also. Just not the most practical use for it. There is some of it around Percival along The NE border,up near the MN line, and down near the MO line that is pretty flat the rest is pretty rough terrain.
I have traveled over most of IA one direction or other.
They raise some pretty good yielding corn and Soybean in eastern SD too.