Iowa farmers delivered record-breaking yields in 2025 despite a challenging year overall, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) annual state and national crop production summary. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “The 2025 growing season tested Iowa farmers with highly variable conditions, including areas that saw too much rain, others that were too dry, and disease pressure that added to the complexities. Even so, Iowa farmers once again delivered a historic and record-breaking crop. This productivity is coming at a time of real stress in the ag economy, with tight margins driven by high input costs and continued pressure from low commodity prices.” Last year, Iowa saw its second-highest corn yield at 210 bushels per acre and its all-time-high corn production at 2.77 billion bushels. Soybean yields set a record at 63.5 bushels per acre, with total output of 596 million bushels. National yield averages were 186.5 bushels per acre for corn and 53 bushels per acre for soybeans, both record-setting. U.S. corn production in 2025 totaled 17 billion bushels, while soybean production totaled 4.26 billion bushels. Naig argues that farmers are doing their job efficiently but are being left behind by D.C. lawmakers. He says, “We need Congress to deliver a modern, five-year Farm Bill that provides certainty and enact year-round nationwide E15, which would create more than two billion bushels of additional annual demand for corn. The Administration must also work quickly to finalize robust RFS volumes and continue pursuing trade agreements that expand markets abroad. Strong domestic demand, reliable export markets, and clear, predictable policy are essential to supporting our farmers and strengthening Iowa’s ag economy.”
