The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship released its 2023 Iowa Crop Production Annual Summary last week, with the State once again producing a strong soybean crop.

Soybean production was estimated at 573 million bushels in 2023. This was down 2 percent from last year’s 587 million bushels. The Iowa soybean crop yielded 58 bushels per acre in 2023. The harvested acreage of 9.88 million was down 150,000 acres from 2022. Soybean planted acreage, at 9.95 million, was down 150,000 from 2022 as well.

Despite 2023 ending as the State’s 22nd-driest year on record, this year’s soybean crop ranked as the fourth-highest yield and third-highest production in Iowa history. Together, Iowa farmers contributed to the country’s fourth-highest yield and seventh-largest soybean crop ever.