August 12, 2009- U.S. farmers successfully battled soggy July weather and remain on
target for producing the largest soybean crop in history and the second largest corn crop, according to
the Crop Production report, released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Soybean production is forecast at a record-high, 3.2 billion bushels,
up 8 percent from last year. Yield is expected to average 41.7 bushels
per acre, up 2.1 bushels per acre from 2008. If realized, this will be
the fourth largest soybean yield on record.
Corn production is forecast at 12.8 billion bushels, up 5 percent
from last year, but down 2 percent from the 2007 record. Based on
conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 159.5 bushels
per acre, up 5.6 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the
second highest yield on record. Growers are expected to harvest 80
million acres of corn for grain, down 100,000 acres from June, but up 2
percent from last year.
All cotton production is forecast at 13.2 million bales, up 3
percent from last year. Yield is expected to average 816 pounds per
harvested acre, up 3 pounds from last year. Producers expect to harvest
7.77 million acres of all cotton, up 3 percent from last year.
Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.54 billion bushels, up 1
percent from the July 1 forecast, but down 18 percent from 2008. Based
on August 1 conditions, the U.S. yield is forecast at 44.2 bushes per
acre, up from last month, but 3 bushels below last year. Harvest in 18
major producing states was 85 percent complete by August 2.
The August Crop Production report contains NASS’s first
estimates of yield and production for corn, soybeans and other
spring-planted row crops. Nearly 28,000 producers in major producing
states, which usually account for about 75 percent of the U.S.
production, were interviewed to obtain probable yield. These growers
will continue to be surveyed throughout the growing season to provide
indications of average yields.
The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
Print this page
