We must be very different in Texas as 33,000 harvest population is the max for the highest economic yield. Our populations have not changed much in the last 50 years, uniformity has. Now using more hybrids that flex. Our max yields have gone from 200 to 300. We now strip till 30" rows verse 20" with full tillage and full irrigation. We now plant May 15th verse April 15th Corn prices in real value have gone down to a fraction of then. We had to adapt to make back the expenses. Our fertilizer program is about the same with more bang for the ton.