A producer can compare his yields and yield goals with average district or county yields published annually be the Nebraska Crop and Livestock Reporting Service. Recent county soil survey bulletins published by the Soil Conservation Service give estimated yield potentials for each type of soil in the county under both average and high management. These sources of information can be useful benchmarks. The yield per acre that a grower achieves, given his soil and climatic situation, is the best measure of his biological and operational management. It measures the results of his management in selecting an adapted, high yielding hybrid and then meeting its growth requirements by getting operations carried out properly and timely.
Yield is also commonly the best measure of economic efficiency.
On Nebraska farms, fixed costs, primarily land and machinery, represent from 40 to 60 percent of the total costs of raising corn. Research leads to the continuing availability of ever improved corn hybrids, herbicides, and other technologies. Consequently, the good manager has the opportunity to keep increasing the yields that he can achieve. Often yield gains from the improved technologies will result in lower costs of producing each bushel of corn. Thus, reaching yield goals this year and then boosting them realistically for next year is a pattern for staying competitive and increasing profits from corn production.