September 12, 2006

Missouri Corn and Soybean Yields Up from 2005

(Columbia, MO) - "Corn and soybean yields are looking better than last year, particularly across the northern third of the State" said Gene Danekas, Director, Missouri Agricultural Statistics. "Test plot data is showing that August rains were highly beneficial to soybean pod development although some of the drier west-central and southwestern counties will have below-normal crop yields."

Missouri soybean production is forecast at 211 million bushels based on September 1, 2006 conditions, up 11 percent from the August 1 forecast and 15 percent above last year. The State yield is forecast at 41 bushels per acre, 4 bushels above both last month=s forecast and the 2005 yield. If the forecast projections are realized, both yield and production would be the second highest on record.

Corn production in Missouri is forecast at 376 million bushels, 4 percent more than the August 1 forecast and 14 percent above last year=s crop. The expected yield of 142 bushels per acre is up 6 bushels from a month earlier and 31 bushels above last year’s yield.

Missouri grain sorghum production is forecast at 10.4 million bushels, 3 percent below the August 1 forecast but 5 percent above the 2005 production. The expected yield of 83 bushels per acre is down 3 bushels from a month ago but 7 bushels higher than last year.

Cotton production in Missouri is forecast at a record 1.08 million bales, 4 percent above the August 1 forecast and 24 percent more than last year’s record crop. State yields are expected to average 1,032 pounds per acre, up 2 pounds from August 1 and 85 pounds above last year. Of the revised 505,000 planted acres, farmers expect to harvest 500,000 acres, both up 20,000 from the August 1 forecast.

Rice production in the State is forecast at a record 14.8 million cwt, unchanged from a month earlier but up 5 percent from the previous record of last year. Harvested acres, at 214,000, and a record yield of 6,900 pounds per acre, are also unchanged from the August forecast.

Missouri potato production is forecast at 2.1 million cwt, 2 percent less last year and 3 percent below the previous forecast. Yield is forecast at 280 cwt, 10 cwt below the July forecast and 60 cwt below the record high of both 2005 and 2001.

United States soybean production is forecast at 3.09 billion bushels, up 6 percent from the August forecast and up slightly from the 2005 crop. If realized, this would be the second highest production on record. Yields are expected to average 41.8 bushels per acre, up 2.2 bushels from August but down 1.5 bushels from last year’s record high yield. Compared with last month, yields are forecast higher across the Corn Belt and most of the northern and central Great Plains.

Corn production in the U.S. is forecast at 11.1 billion bushels, up 1 percent from last month and fractionally above 2005. Yields are expected to average 154.7 bushels per acre, up 2.5 bushels from August and 6.8 bushels from last year. If realized, yield and production would be the second largest on record, behind 2004. Forecast yields are higher than August across the northern Great Plains and western Corn Belt as moderate to heavy precipitation during the month improved soil moisture levels and crop conditions. Expected yields across the eastern Corn Belt are unchanged from last month.

Sorghum production in the U.S. is forecast at 305 million bushels, 3 percent above last month but down 23 percent from last year. If realized, this would be the lowest production since 1956. Based on September 1 conditions, the sorghum yield forecast is 57.3 bushels per acre, up 1.5 bushels from August but down 11.4 bushels from last year.

All Cotton production in the U.S. is forecast at 20.3 million 480-pound bales, down slightly from last month and down 15 percent from last year’s record high production. Yield is expected to average 762 pounds per acre, down 3 pounds from last month and down 69 pounds from last year. The September harvested area is expected to total 12.8 million acres, virtually unchanged from last month but down 7 percent from last year.

U.S. rice production is forecast at 193 million cwt, down 2 percent from the August forecast and down 13 percent from last year. Based on administrative data, planted area was revised to 2.84 million acres, down 2 percent from the June estimate and down 16 percent from 2005.

Production of summer potatoes in the U.S. is forecast at 18.7 million cwt in 2006, unchanged from the July 1 forecast but 7 percent above the 2005 final estimate. Harvested area is estimated at 54,800 acres, up 7 percent from last year. The average yield is forecast at 342 cwt per acre, 12 cwt above the July forecast but unchanged from last year.