Washington-U.S. farmers are on pace to produce the largest corn and soybean crops in history, according to the Crop Production report released Aug. 12 by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Corn production is forecast at 13.4 billion bushels and soybean production at 3.43 billion bushels, both up 2 percent from the previous records set in 2009. Based on conditions as of Aug. 1, corn yields are expected to average a record-high 165 bushels/acre, up 0.3 bushel from last year’s previous record. Forecast corn yields are higher than last year across the upper Mississippi Valley and upper Great Lakes region, where moderate temperatures and adequate soil moisture provided favorable growing conditions, the report said. Expected corn yields were also higher compared with last year across the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley. Soybean yields are expected to equal last year’s record of 44 bushels/acre. Compared with last year, soybean yields are forecast higher across the Northern Tier States and the Delta States, but the largest increase in yield from 2009 is expected in Texas, where the yield is forecast to be up 9 bushels from last year. The Mid-Atlantic States are expecting the largest soybean yield declines from last year, NASS said, as Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia are all expecting yields to be down more than 10 bushels from 2009 due to very hot and dry weather this summer. Soybean area for harvest in the U.S. is forecast at 78.0 million acres, unchanged from June but up 2 percent from 2009. Cotton production in the U.S. is expected to jump 52 percent from last year, to 18.5 million 480-pound bales. Average yield is forecast at 837 pounds per harvested acre, up 60 pounds from last year. Texas cotton producers are expecting a record-high production of 8.80 million 480-pound bales, a 90 percent increase from last year. All wheat production, at 2.26 billion bushels, is up 2 percent from the July forecast and up 2 percent from 2009. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, the U.S. wheat yield is forecast at 46.9 bushels per acre, up 1.0 bushel from last month and 2.5 bushels above last year. If realized, this will be the highest yield on record, 2.0 bushels above 2008. NASS surveyed approximately 27,000 producers between July 25 and Aug. 6, and also took objective field measurements in the major crop-producing states.
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