Based on Oct. 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2024 corn production is forecast at 1.90 billion bushels, up 10% from last year's production, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.70 million acres, is up 2% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 196 bushels per acre, up 14 bushels from last year. If realized, this would be a new record high for both production and yield.  

Sorghum for grain is forecast at 18.9 million bushels, up 15% from last year. Area for harvest, at 230,000 acres, is up 2% from 2023. Yield is forecast at 82 bushels per acre, up 9 bushels from last year.

Soybean production is forecast at 310 million bushels, up 16% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.25 million acres, is up 1% from 2023. Yield is forecast at 59 bushels per acre, up 7.5 bushels from last year. 

Dry edible bean production is forecast at 2.54 million cwt, up 29% from 2023. Area for harvest, at 121,000 acres, is up 32% from last year. Yield is estimated at 2,100 pounds, down 40.0 pounds per acre from last year.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.46 million tons, up 9% from 2023. Area for harvest, at 46,700 acres, is up slightly from last year. Yield is estimated at 31.2 tons per acre, up 2.6 tons per acre from a year ago.

All sunflower production is forecast at 28.9 million pounds, down 34% from last year. Acreage for harvest, at 27,100 acres, is down 10,400 acres from 2023. Yield is forecast at 1,068 pounds per acre, down 110 pounds per acre from a year ago. Of the acres for harvest, non-oil sunflowers account for 2,100 acres and oil sunflowers account for 25,000 acres.

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.72 million tons, is up 29% from last year. Area for harvest, at 930,000 acres, is up 9% from a year ago. Yield of 4.00 tons per acre is up 0.60 ton per acre from 2023. All other hay production, at 2.38 million tons, is down 3% from last year. Area for harvest, at 1.64 million acres, is up 14% from a year ago. Yield of 1.45 tons per acre is down 0.25 ton from 2023.