Crop Yield Estimates

Bi-weekly Satellite-Based Crop Yield Forecasts

In 2002, TerraMetrics Agriculture and KARS published their very first satellite-based crop yield forecasts for eight US crops:  winter wheat, corn, soybeans, spring wheat, oats, barley, durum and grain sorghum. 2024 was our 23^rd year of operation.   Our proprietary model is based on NDVI composite data sets and corresponding USDA final estimated crop yield data.  2024 estimates were constructed using 21 years (2003-2023) of historical data combined with other intelligence. 

There are eight, bi-weekly forecasts for each crop, beginning with winter wheat in late March.  Corn, soybean and other summer crops are available in late May or early June and continue through mid-September.  Timing of these forecasts is generally 8-10 weeks prior to USDA’s initial WASDE estimates.   Bushel per acre estimates are provided at the national, state, and regional level.  (click here to request examples)

County Level Forecasts

County level forecasts for corn and soybeans were introduced in 2015.  There are four forecasts for each crop beginning in late July.