Early projections for 1999 indicate that Wisconsin corn farmers will set a new record for grain yield. Setting realistic yield goals and understanding the production potential of a cropping system helps farmers make better management decisions. Many data sources can be used to determine the production potential of Wisconsin's diverse soils and climate. The NRCS publishes production capabilities for each soil series in Wisconsin. Additionally, yield contests and hybrid performance trials provide data that can be used to establish production potential in an area.

Since 1987, the Wisconsin PEPS program has had the objectives of: i) recognizing the practices utilized by the most profitable growers and, ii) emphasizing soil and water conservation, efficiency, profitability and competitiveness vs. productivity alone. The insights gained from this program are used and integrated by other growers into their cropping systems. In the PEPS program, grain yield is measured on 10-acre farm fields using field scale production equipment. Figure 1 lists the maximum corn yields measured in Wisconsin counties participating in the PEPS program.

Yields tend to be greatest in south-central and southwestern Wisconsin, although numerous counties in western and eastern Wisconsin have recorded corn grain yields in excess of 200 bu/A. To date, the highest yield recorded in Wisconsin was 254 bu/A and occurred in Lafayette county during 1998. Counties that have recorded yields in excess of 220 bu/A include Buffalo Calumet, Columbia, Grant, and Manitowoc.