January 12, 2012

Corn for grain production in Nebraska, based on year-end surveys, is estimated at 1.54 billion bushels for 2011, up 5% from 2010 and the second largest production on record, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Yield of 160 bushels per acre is unchanged from the November forecast, but 6 bushels below last year. Farmers harvested 9.6 million acres of corn for grain, up 8% from 2010 and the largest since 1933.

Soybean production for 2011 totaled 258 million bushels, down 3% from 2010 but still the third largest on record. Yield, at 53.5 bushels per acre, is up 1 bushel from a year earlier and second highest on record. Area for harvest, at 4.83 million acres, is down 5% from 2010.

Sorghum for grain production in 2011 is estimated at 6.6 million bushels, down 3% from 2010. Yield, at 94 bushels per acre, is up 4 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain is 70,000 acres, down 5,000 acres from a year ago and the lowest sorghum for grain acreage since 1937.

Hay production totaled 5.62 million tons in 2011, down 11% from a year earlier. Area harvested is 2.48 million acres, down 8% from 2010. The average yield, at 2.27 tons per acre, is down 0.09 ton per acre from 2010.

Alfalfa production is down 13% from a year earlier and all other hay production is down 9%.

USDA News Release