Alex Harrell, a soybean producer from southwest Georgia, has broken the world record for soybean yield, achieving 218 bushels per acre on August 13, 2024. This surpasses his previous record of 206 bushels from just one year ago.
As a second-year member of Total Acre, Harrell has quickly risen to the top of the soybean production charts. He achieved this remarkable yield by planting the Pioneer P49Z02E variety in 30-inch red clay soil rows with a planting population of 110,000. Harrell utilized advanced techniques such as double strip tilling, center pivot irrigation, precise nutrient management, and tissue sampling.
Harrell credits much of his success to the tools and methodologies acquired from Total Acre—a membership platform focused on maximizing efficiency and unlocking production potential on every acre. Total Acre’s tools integrate advanced software, technology, and data analytics to benchmark performance and optimize agricultural practices over time, thereby removing emotion from the decision-making process for growers.
One of the critical factors contributing to Harrell’s success was his meticulous approach to nutrient management. By analyzing up to 14 different micro and macronutrients throughout the season, Harrell optimized his crop’s growing conditions at every stage of production. Regular tissue sampling, sometimes conducted weekly, allowed Harrell to identify and address nutrient deficiencies in real-time, ensuring his plants were always in the best possible condition.
“Total Acre is about getting better every day,” says Chad Scebold, Head of Grower Experience at Total Acre. “Our members are willing to try new farming methods and products to find the best balance for their fields, while also optimizing their return on investment. We teach them to leverage what they do well, create a plan, execute on the plan, measure the results, and then make the necessary adjustments to maximize production potential on their land.” Total Acre’s data-driven approach is further enhanced by predictive analytics, which helps farmers forecast crop performance based on historical data and current trends.
Harrell’s achievement underscores the vast potential of crop production practices. “We used to think 150 bushels was the ceiling, but he has proven that the potential is much greater,” says Scebold. Just two years ago, Total Acre Co-Founder Randy Dowdy broke the world record for soybean yield with 190.23 bushels per acre, surpassing his previous record of 171 bushels in 2016. “With new technologies and historical field data available to our members, the skies the limit for unlocking production potential for soybeans and corn.”
Total Acre members like Harrell benefit from integrating benchmarking into their operations, enabling them to improve methods to achieve their yield goals.
