Washington-USDA on Jan. 12 reported that the 2006 corn-for-grain crop in the U.S. came in at 10.5 billion bushels, down 2 percent from earlier estimates and 5 percent lower than the 2005 crop. The 2006 crop remains the third largest on record, however, with average yields estimated at 149.1 bushels/acre, down 2.1 bu/a from earlier forecasts and 1.1 bu/a higher than in 2005. USDA said 70.6 million acres of corn were harvested in 2006, down 6 percent from 2005. U.S. soybean production in 2006 totaled 3.19 billion bushels, from a record high 74.6 harvested acres, USDA said, the largest U.S. soybean crop on record and 4 percent above the 2005 crop. Average soybean yields in 2006 were estimated at 42.7 bu/a, below earlier forecasts and down as well from last year’s record high. All U.S. cotton production in 2006 was estimated at 21.7 million bales, up 2 percent from earlier predictions, but down 9 percent from 2005’s record high production. Average U.S. cotton yields were placed at 819 lbs/a, down 12 lbs/a from the previous year. USDA said cotton production and yield were the third largest on record, while harvested area came in at 12.7 million acres, down 8 percent from last year. U.S. rice production in 2006 was estimated at 194 million cwt, down 13 percent from 2005. Planted and harvested area for cotton, at 2.84 million acres and 2.82 million acres, respectively, were down 16 percent from last year’s crop. Average yields for all U.S. rice were estimated at 6,868 lbs/a, 232 lbs/a above the 2005 yield. Sorghum grain production in 2006 was estimated at 278 million bushels, down 4 percent from earlier estimates and 29 percent below 2005. Planted area to sorghum grain came in at 6.52 million acres, up 1 percent from last year, while area harvested for grain was down 14 percent from 2005 at 4.94 million acres. Average sorghum grain yields, at 56.2 bu/a, were up 2.0 bushels from the previous forecast, but down 12.3 bushels from last year.
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