Crop Yield Calculator
Enter the total cultivated area.
Typical US range for selected crop: 150–180 bu/ac
Leave blank to skip revenue estimate.
Enter Your Crop Data
Select a crop type, choose a calculator mode, and enter your field measurements to see your estimated yield and revenue.
How to Use This Calculator
Select Crop Type and Units
Choose your crop from the dropdown — grain crops (corn, wheat, soybeans, barley, rice, sorghum) or vegetable crops (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, beans, squash). Select Imperial or Metric units depending on your preferred measurement system.
Choose a Calculator Mode
Pick the mode that matches your data: Simple Mode for area × yield rate; Grain Sample Mode for field-counted ear data or TGW inputs; Vegetable Mode for row-based fresh-weight estimates; or Harvest Loss Mode to quantify post-harvest seed losses on the ground.
Enter Your Field Measurements
Fill in the relevant inputs for your chosen mode. For Grain Sample mode, count ears in a 1/1,000th-acre segment and measure kernel rows and kernels per row on three representative ears — then average the counts. For Vegetable mode, measure your row length and in-row plant spacing, and estimate yield per plant from past experience or seed catalog data.
Review Results and Export
Your total estimated yield appears instantly alongside a benchmark comparison bar showing how your yield compares to the national average for your crop. Optionally add a market price to generate a revenue estimate. Use Export CSV to save results for farm records or print a paper copy for lenders and extension agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the corn yield estimate using the ear-count method?
The Illinois Agronomy Handbook ear-count method is widely used by extension agronomists and typically achieves ±10–15% accuracy when properly sampled. The biggest source of error is sampling location — counting ears only in the best-looking rows overestimates the field average. The method recommends counting ears in at least three random locations across the field (not just in good areas) and averaging the results. Additionally, the 90,000-kernels-per-bushel constant assumes 15.5% moisture; if your crop dries down significantly before harvest, actual bushels may run slightly higher. For the most reliable pre-harvest estimates, combine the ear-count result with readings from a crop-scouting service or in-season yield models that incorporate weather data.
What is Thousand Grain Weight (TGW) and how do I measure it?
Thousand Grain Weight (TGW) is the weight in grams of exactly 1,000 representative grain kernels, measured at a standard moisture content (usually 14%). It is a key agronomic parameter that reflects kernel size, filling efficiency, and grain density. To measure TGW in the field, randomly collect a handful of grain from multiple plants, count out exactly 1,000 kernels using a seed counter or patience, then weigh them on a gram scale. Typical TGW values: wheat 35–45 g, corn 250–350 g, soybeans 150–200 g, barley 40–55 g, rice 20–30 g. Seed suppliers often publish TGW for their varieties in technical data sheets. Higher TGW generally indicates larger, denser kernels and is positively correlated with yield potential when plant density is appropriate.
How does the harvest loss calculator work for wheat and soybeans?
The harvest loss calculation converts a ground-seed count from a post-harvest field walk into a yield loss expressed in bushels per acre. The method comes from CropQuest and similar extension sources: count all seeds visible on the ground within a one-square-foot area immediately after the combine passes, then multiply by the crop-specific conversion factor. For wheat, 1 kernel per square foot equals approximately 0.3 bu/ac lost. For soybeans, 1 seed per square foot equals approximately 0.116 bu/ac lost. For sorghum, 1 kernel per square foot equals approximately 0.022 bu/ac lost. Count several areas across the field and average the results, because combine performance varies with crop density, ground speed, and reel speed. Even 1 bu/ac of soybean loss at $12/bu is $12 per acre — significant over 500 acres.
What typical yields should I use for vegetables if I don't know my own?
Vegetable yields vary enormously by variety, growing region, and management intensity, but the benchmarks built into this calculator represent typical commercial production figures. Tomatoes in the United States average 15,000–20,000 lbs per acre for field production (higher for greenhouse). Potatoes average 25,000–35,000 lbs per acre. Bell peppers range from 10,000–15,000 lbs per acre. Cucumbers produce 6,000–10,000 lbs per acre and squash 4,000–8,000 lbs per acre. For backyard gardens, per-plant yields are more practical: a single indeterminate tomato plant might yield 15–30 lbs over a season, a cucumber vine 10–20 fruits, and a zucchini plant 6–10 lbs per week at peak. Enter your best estimate as yield per plant in the Vegetable Mode for a realistic garden-scale total.
How do I convert bushels per acre to tonnes per hectare?
The conversion factor from bushels per acre to tonnes per hectare depends on the crop because each crop has a different standard bushel weight. For corn (56 lbs/bu): multiply bu/ac by 0.0628 to get t/ha. For wheat (60 lbs/bu): multiply by 0.0672. For soybeans (60 lbs/bu): multiply by 0.0673. For barley (48 lbs/bu): multiply by 0.0538. For example, 170 bu/ac of corn equals approximately 10.7 t/ha; 50 bu/ac of wheat equals approximately 3.4 t/ha. This calculator performs these conversions automatically when you switch between Imperial and Metric modes. When working with European or international data that uses t/ha, always confirm which crop's conversion factor applies before comparing figures.
Can I use this calculator to plan how much land I need to grow food for my family?
Yes — use Simple Mode with a realistic yield per unit for your selected crop and experiment with different field area values until the total yield matches your household needs. A rough guideline: a family of four needs approximately 400–600 square feet of garden to supplement their diet with seasonal vegetables, or 1,000–1,500 square feet for a more complete supply. For grains, one acre of wheat at 50 bu/ac yields about 3,000 lbs of whole grain — enough to bake roughly 3,000 loaves of bread. Use the vegetable mode with actual row measurements for a precise estimate of what your existing garden will produce this season, then enter a market price if you plan to sell surplus at a farmers market.