November 9, 2006

Corn and Soybean Production Similar To Month Ago

Columbia, MO - "Missouri farmers are reporting that row crop yields are averaging close to what they expected a month ago," said Gene Danekas, Director. "Rainfall in late October slowed fieldwork but harvest progress is still running several days ahead of normal for all major crops except cotton."

Missouri soybean production is forecast at 206 million bushels based on November 1 conditions, down 2 percent from a month ago but 13 percent above the 2005 production. If realized, this would be the second largest crop on record. A State yield average of 40 bushels per acre is expected, 1 bushel less than the October forecast but 3 bushels above last year.

Corn production in Missouri is forecast at 369 million bushels, unchanged from the October forecast but 12 percent above last year’s crop. The projected yield of 142 bushels per acre is also unchanged from a month earlier but sharply above the 111 bushel yield of 2005.

Cotton production in Missouri is forecast at a record 1.03 million bales, unchanged from the October 1 forecast but 19 percent above last year’s previous record high. The forecast yield of 989 pounds is the same as a month earlier but 42 pounds above last year’s yield.

Missouri grain sorghum production is forecast at 7.89 million bushels, 6 percent above the October forecast but 20 percent below last year. The State yield forecast of 83 bushels per acre is 5 bushels above a month ago and 7 bushels above last year.

Rice production in the State is expected to total a record 14.3 million cwt, unchanged from the October forecast but 2 percent more than the previous record of 2005. A yield of 6,700 pounds per acre is forecast, the same as expected a month earlier but 100 pounds more than the 2005 yield.

U.S. Crop Production

United States soybean production is forecast at a record 3.20 billion bushels, up slightly from October and 5 percent above 2005. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 43.0 bushels per acre, up 0.2 bushel from October and equal to last year’s record high yield. Area for harvest in the U.S. is forecast at 74.5 million acres, unchanged from last month but up 5 percent from 2005.

Corn production in the U.S. is forecast at 10.7 billion bushels, down 1 percent from October and 3 percent lower than 2005. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 151.2 bushels per acre, down 2.3 bushels from October but 3.3 bushels higher than last year. If realized, the yield would be the second largest on record, behind 2004.

All Cotton production in the U.S. is forecast at 21.3 million 480-pound bales, up 3 percent from last month but down 11 percent from last year’s record high production. Yield is expected to average 798 pounds per acre, up 24 pounds from last month but down 33 pounds from last year. The harvested area is expected to total 12.8 million acres, unchanged from last month but down 7 percent from 2005.

U.S. Gain Sorghum production is forecast at 288 million bushels, down 4 percent from the October 1 forecast and 27 percent below 2005. Expected area for harvest as grain is unchanged from last month but down 7 percent from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, the sorghum yield forecast is 54.2 bushels per acre, down 2.4 bushels from October and down 14.5 bushels from last year.

Production of rice in the U.S. is forecast at 193 million cwt, up less than 1 percent from the October forecast but down 13 percent from last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 2.82 million acres, unchanged from last month but down 16 percent from 2005. As of November 1, the U.S. yield is forecast at 6,847 pounds per acre, up 36 pounds per acre from last month and up 211 pounds from last year.