January 12, 2016

Corn for grain production in Nebraska, based on year-end surveys, is estimated at a record high 1.69 billion bushels, up 6% from 2014, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Yield of 185 bushels per acre is up 6 bushels from last year and the previous record set in 2009 and 2014.  Farmers harvested 9.15 million acres of corn for grain, up 2% from 2014.

Nationally, corn for grain production is estimated at 13.6 billion bushels, down slightly from the November forecast and down 4% from the 2014 estimate. The average yield in the United States is estimated at 168.4 bushels per acre. This is down 0.9 bushel from the November forecast and 2.6 bushels below the 2014 average yield of 171.0 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain is estimated at 80.7 million acres, up slightly from the November forecast but down 3% from the 2014 acreage

Soybean production for 2015 totaled a record high 306 million bushels, up 6% from 2014. Yield, at 58.0 bushels per acre, is a record high and up 4.0 bushels from a year earlier.  Area for harvest, at 5.27 million acres, is down 1% from 2014.

Nationally, soybean production in 2015 totaled a record 3.93 billion bushels, down 1% from the November forecast, but up slightly from 2014. The average yield per acre is estimated at a record high 48.0 bushels, 0.3 bushel below the November forecast but 0.5 bushel above the 2014 yield. Harvested area is down less than 1% from last year’s record acreage to 81.8 million acres.

Sorghum for grain production in 2015 is estimated at 23.0 million bushels, up 76% from 2014.  Yield, at 96 bushels per acre, equals the previous high set in 2011 and is up 14 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 240,000 acres, is up 50% from 2014.

Nationally, sorghum grain production in 2015 is estimated at 597 million bushels, up slightly from the November forecast and up 38% from the 2014 total. Planted area for 2015 is estimated at 8.46 million acres, up 19% from the previous year. Area harvested for grain, at 7.85 million acres, is up 23% from 2014. Average grain yield, at 76.0 bushels per acre, is down 1.7 bushels from the previous forecast but up 8.4 bushels from 2014 and represents a record high yield for the United States.

Alfalfa production for 2015 of 3.40 million tons is virtually unchanged from a year earlier.  Yield, at 4.00 tons per acre, is down 0.10 ton per acre from last year. Area harvested for dry hay, at 850,000 acres, is up 2% from 2014. Seedings of alfalfa during 2015 totaled 140,000 acres, down 13% from the year earlier.  All other hay production, at 2.96 million tons, is up 13% from 2014.  The record yield, at 1.60 tons per acre, is up 0.10 ton per acre from last year.  Area harvested of other dry hay is 1.85 million acres, up 6% from a year ago.  Total forage production from alfalfa and other hay is 6.48 million tons in 2015, up 5% from the previous year. 

Proso millet production in 2015 is estimated at 3.30 million bushels, up 2% from last year’s production.  Yield, at a record high 34 bushels per acre, is up 5 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 97,000 acres, is down 13% from 2014.

Oil sunflower production in 2015 is 42.7 million pounds, up 47% from last year.  Yield, at 1,580 pounds per acre equals the record high and is up 420 pounds from a year earlier.  Area harvested, at 27,000 acres, is up 8% from 2014.  Non-oil sunflower production of 36.8 million pounds, is double that of last year.  Yield, at 2,100 pounds per acre, is up 350 pounds from a year earlier and is the highest on record. Area harvested, at 17,500 acres, is up 67% from 2014.

Sugarbeet production of 1.33 million tons is down 1% from 2014.  Yield, at 28.4 tons per acre, is down 0.7 ton from a year earlier.  Area harvested, at 46,800 acres, is 2% more than 2014.

Dry edible bean production of 3.12 million hundredweight, is down 20% from a year ago.  Yield, at 2,380 pounds per acre, is down 120 pounds from a year earlier.  Area harvested, at 131,000 acres, is down 16% from 2014.

Potato production is 6.87 million hundredweight, down 13% from last year. Yield, at 435 hundredweight per acre, is down 35 hundredweight from last year.  Area harvested, at 15,800 acres, is down 1,100 acres from 2014.

Access the National publication for this release at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProdSu//2010s/2016/CropProdSu-01-12-2016.pdf