Summer weather has helped the U.S. corn crop get off to a good start this year, and now U.S. farmers are looking at an abundant, high quality corn crop to harvest this fall.

“We’re looking at as good of a crop as last year, so there are going to be a lot of bushels,� said Alan Tiemann, a Nebraska corn farmer who chairs the U.S. Grains Council (USGC).

“There’s no doubt we’re going to have plenty of corn to sell.�

Tiemann’s perspective confirms the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) forecast for a big Nebraska corn harvest, up 35 million bushels (890,000 metric tons) from last year’s 1.6 billion bushels (40.6 million tons).

In north central Iowa, Debra Keller, USGC secretary/treasurer, sees a similar picture.

“This has been an ideal growing season this year. We had the right amount of rainfall at the right time, and we’ve had bright, sunny days, which are great for grain fill,� Keller said.

Like Nebraska, Iowa is expecting a bigger corn harvest, topping 2.4 billion bushels (60.9 million tons) this year.

A thousand miles to the east in Maryland, Chip Councell, USGC vice chairman, was also fortunate with the weather.

“We have the best corn crop that we’ve ever grown,� Councell said.

In all, the USDA is projecting larger corn crops in eight of the nation’s significant corn producing states, including three of the top four corn states. Its September projections forecasted U.S. output of 13.6 billion bushels (345 million tons).

That would make the 2015 crop the third largest in U.S. history, trailing only the 2013 and 2014 crops.

Councell, Tiemann and Keller are unanimous in crediting improved corn genetics as a key factor in improved corn yields in times of both good and bad conditions.

“Biotechnology has helped us maintain a steady supply of corn,� Keller said. “Even if we do have bad growing conditions, it allows me to get a much higher yield than I would normally.�

Councell cites the example of 2012 when his area suffered a severe drought.

“My corn still yielded more than 100 bushels per acre (6.3 tons per hectare),� he said. “Had that been 30 years ago, I would probably have had 20 to 30 bushels (.51 to .76 tons).�

“I’ve been amazed at the way corn has been able to come out with a respectable yield even under adverse conditions,� Tiemann said. “And with the advent of Bt corn, no more ear worms and better stalk quality, we definitely have better quality corn coming off the farm. A Venezuelan trade team that visited me recently couldn’t imagine how good my corn looked.�