USDA Forecast Drops NE Corn Production, Ups Soybean Production

Composite photo of corn, soybean, and sorghum plants at harvest

USDA Forecast Drops NE Corn Production, Ups Soybean Production

Based on October 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2018 corn production is forecast at 1.80 billion bushels, up 7% from last year's production, but down from the Sept. 1 forecast of 1.85 billion bushels, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.25 million acres, is down 1% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 195 bushels per acre, up 14 bushels from last year. Both yield and production are new record highs if realized.

Nationally, corn production is forecast at 14.8 billion bushels, down slightly from the September forecast but up 1% from last year. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 180.7 bushels per acre, down 0.6 bushel from the September forecast but up 4.1 bushels from 2017. If realized, this will be the highest yield and second highest production on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, down slightly from the previous estimate and down 1% from 2017. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data.

Sorghum for grain is forecast at 15.8 million bushels, up 32% from last year. Area for harvest, at 155,000 acres, is up 15% from 2017. Yield is a record forecast at 102 bushels per acre, up 13 bushels from last year.

Soybean production is forecast at 350 million bushels, up 7% from last year and up from 338 million bushels forecast Sept. 1. Area for harvest, at 5.65 million acres, is slightly below 2017. Yield is forecast at 62 bushels per acre, up 4.5 bushels from last year. Both yield and production are new record highs if realized.

Dry edible bean production is forecast at 3.25 million hundredweight, down 17% from 2017. Area for harvest, at 128,000 acres, is down 17% from last year. Yield is a record forecast at 2,540 pounds per acre, up 20.0 pounds per acre from last year.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.48 million tons, up 3% from 2017. Area for harvest, at 44,200 acres, is down 2% from last year. Yield is a record forecast at 33.4 tons per acre, up 1.6 tons per acre from a year ago.

All sunflower production is forecast at 51.2 million pounds, down 26% from last year. Acreage for harvest, at 33,000 acres, is down 10,500 acres from 2017. Harvested acreage is a new record low. Yield is forecast at 1,550 pounds per acre, down 38 pounds per acre from a year ago. Of the acres for harvest, non-oil sunflowers account for 10,000 acres and oil sunflowers account for 23,000 acres.

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.61 million tons, is up 10% from last year. Area for harvest, at 880,000 acres, is up 6% from a year ago. Yield of 4.10 tons per acre is up 0.15 ton from 2017. All other hay production, at 3.70 million tons, is up 28% from last year. Area for harvest, at 1.85 million acres, is up 3% from a year ago. Yield of 2.00 tons per acre is up 0.40 ton from 2017. Both yield and production are new record highs if realized.

Access the national publication for this release at: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProd//2010s/2018/CropProd-10-11-2018.pdf

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A field of corn.