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A look back on the 2026 growing season

By Leah Ten Napel, Extension Field Agronomist
Sep 14, 2026
6 hrs ago

Corn drydown — Corn dries in a field near the South Dakota-Iowa border in late September.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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By Leah Ten Napel, Extension Field Agronomist

The calendar has flipped to September. Silage is being chopped, corn and soybean crops are nearing maturity, and early cover crop seeding is right around the corner. It is a great time of year to look back at the conditions we experienced during the 2026 growing season and consider what they may mean for yields as combines begin to roll.

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Leah Ten Napel is extension field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Reach her at lre@iastate.edu or 712-546-7835.