Farmers set 'historic' new record despite season of debilitating disease and weather: 'Coming at a time of real stress in the ag economy'

Despite myriad challenges, Iowa's farmers harvested a record amount of corn in 2025, according to the Des Moines Register.

Iowa's 2016 corn crop broke records at 2.7 million bushels. But 2025 marked a new high yield with 2.77 million bushels, a 2.6% increase.

Soybean crops also exceeded expectations. 2025 was the third most productive year for soybeans on record, the outlet reported.

High crop yields came as a surprise. Iowa's farmers faced a variety of setbacks in 2025, and extreme weather was high on the list.

Extreme weather is not the same as "bad weather" or "volatile weather." Temperatures are rising around the globe, which increase and worsen extreme weather events.

Long-established weather patterns are becoming less predictable, more destructive, and more deadly. In July, parts of Iowa were hit by a derecho, which brought high winds that tore down power lines and cornfields.

At the same time, Iowa's farms coped with heavy rains and crop diseases, the Des Moines Register noted.

Iowa wasn't the only corn-harvesting state to contend with the swings and volleys of unpredictable weather and atmospheric conditions. Growers in states from Mississippi to Michigan reported a rollercoaster ride in 2025, enduring a rocky start before trends improved in the late summer. 

On top of unpredictable conditions, many American farms faced the agricultural impacts of a broader "trade war." Fluctuating tariffs are affecting everything from equipment purchases to a soft export market.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig acknowledged the numerous stresses the state's farm industry endured. He implored Congress to relax ethanol manufacturing restrictions.

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"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," Naig observed in a press release. 

He also commended Iowa's farmers for how they handled a chaotic year.

"The 2025 growing season tested Iowa farmers with highly variable conditions. Even so, Iowa farmers once again delivered a historic and record-breaking crop," Naig praised.

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