October 12, 2005

Missouri Corn and Soybean Yields Up Slightly From September Forecast

Columbia, MO - "Missouri corn and soybean yields are averaging slightly better than expected," says Gene Danekas, Director, Missouri Agricultural Statistics. "Although the summer drought limited the yield potential for soybeans, the crop was helped by the August and September rainfall, while expectations for corn yields have shown only a minor improvement."

Missouri soybean production is forecast at 173 million bushels based on October 1 conditions, up 4 percent from a month ago but 22 percent below the 2004 record production of 223 million bushels. A State yield of 35 bushels per acre is expected, 2 bushels above the September forecast but 10 bushels below last year's record yield. A downward revision in acreage to 5 million planted and 4.95 million harvested acres partially offset the effect of the increased yield on production.

Corn production in Missouri is forecast at 310 million bushels, up 2 percent from the September forecast but 34 percent below last year's production. The forecast yield of 105 bushels is 2 bushels above the September forecast but 57 bushels under the 2004 record yield. Yields vary widely across the State from exceptionally good in many northwestern and southeastern counties to sharply below normal in most northeastern, central and east-central counties.

Missouri grain sorghum production is forecast at 9.23 million bushels, up 4 percent from the September forecast but 41 percent below last year. Planted and harvested acres were both revised up by 10,000 to 135,000 and 130,000, respectively. A yield of 71 bushels per acre is forecast, 3 bushels below last month's yield and 37 bushels less than the record yield of a year earlier.

Cotton production in Missouri is forecast at 790,000 bales, up 3 percent from the September 1 forecast but 5 percent below the 2004 record high. The projected yield of 872 pounds is 22 pounds above a month earlier but 182 pounds below last year's record yield.

Rice production in the State is expected to total a record 13.7 million cwt, down 4 percent from September but 3 percent more than the previous record of 2004. A yield of 6,500 pounds per acre is forecast, 300 pounds less than the 2004 record yield.

Missouri pecan production is estimated at 1.5 million pounds. This estimate marks Missouri's reentry into the national pecan estimate program.

The production of all hay in Missouri is expected to total 6.79 million tons, 28 percent below a year ago. The forecast yield of 1.66 tons per acre is sharply below the 2.17 ton record of last year.

U.S. Corn and Soybean Production Up From September

United States soybean production is forecast at 2.97 billion bushels, up 4 percent from the September forecast but 5 percent below 2004. Based on conditions as of October 1, yield is expected to average 41.6 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels from September but 0.6 bushel below last year's record high yield. Based on administrative data, acreage updates were made in several States. Area planted is now estimated at 72.2 million acres, down 903,000 acres from the August estimate. Area for harvest is forecast at 71.3 million acres, down 914,000 acres from September.

Corn production in the U.S. is forecast at 10.9 billion bushels, up 2 percent from last month but 8 percent below 2004. If realized, this would be the second largest crop on record. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 146.1 bushels per acre, up 2.9 bushels from September but 14.3 bushels below last year. Based on administrative information, acreage updates were made in several States and farmers now expect to harvest 74.3 million acres of corn for grain, up 15,000 acres from September and up 1 percent from 2004.

U.S. sorghum production is forecast at 375 million bushels, down 6 percent from last month and down 18 percent from last year. Based on October 1 conditions, the sorghum yield forecast is 66.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from September but down 3.8 bushels from last year.

All Cotton production in the U.S. is forecast at 22.7 million 480-pound bales, up 2 percent from the September forecast but 2 percent below last year's record high production. Yield is expected to average 797 pounds per acre, up 15 pounds from last month but down 58 pounds from 2004.

The nation's rice production is forecast at 223 million cwt, down 2 percent from the September forecast and down 3 percent from last year. Area expected for harvest, at 3.34 million acres, is unchanged from last month but up fractionally from 2004. As of October 1, the U.S. all rice yield is forecast at 6,678 pounds per acre, down 152 pounds per acre from last month and down 264 pounds from last year's record high yield.

U.S. pecan utilized production is forecast at 289 million pounds (in-shell basis), up 55 percent from last year's crop and 2 percent above 2003.

All hay production in the U.S. is forecast at 153 million tons, 3 percent below 2004. The U.S. yield is projected at 2.48 tons per acre, down from 2.55 tons last year.