he old adage "rain makes grain" held true for many Iowa farmers this year as harvest reports give credence to projections for record corn production and record soybean yields in the state.

In fact, the most limiting factor in some areas was too much rain, especially in southern Iowa, where early-season rain caused significant planting delays. Overall, this summer ranked as the seventh wettest among 143 years of records in Iowa.

"The northern third of Iowa is definitely the garden spot," said Kevin Pope, a Cerro Gordo County Farm Bureau member who farms near Mason City. "It looked good all year, and it’s following through to harvest. Yields are outstanding; they’re the best ever."

Filling up storage

Corn yields above 200 bushels per acre are common, and soybeans topped 70 bushels per acre, Pope said. The bountiful yields are taxing storage capacity at some grain...