August 12, 2010

Record Missouri Corn Production and Second Highest Soybean Production

(COLUMBIA, MO) -"An early start to planting created optimism among producers, only to see excess rainfall cause planting delays and replanting,” said Gene Danekas, Director, USDA-Missouri Agricultural Statistics. "The excessive hot weather is now the latest concern as producers look ahead to harvest season.” Based upon conditions on August 1, the following forecasts are being expected.

Missouri corn plantings are estimated at 3.30 million acres, 10 percent above last year but unchanged from the June 1 estimate. Corn acres for harvest for grain are forecast at 3.20 million acres, up 10 percent from 2009 and also unchanged from the June estimate. Yield per harvested acre is forecast at 150 bushels, down 3 bushels from last year. Production is forecast at 480 million bushels. If realized, this production would be 7 percent above a year ago and the largest corn crop on record.

Soybean planted acreage in Missouri is estimated at 5.50 million acres, 3 percent above 2009 and unchanged from the June 1 estimate. This is the fourth largest planted acreage and largest since 1984. Harvested acres are expected to total 5.45 million acres, 3 percent above last year and unchanged from the estimate on June 1. Yield is forecast at 42 bushels per acre, down 1.5 bushels from 2009 and the third highest yield on record. Production is forecast at 229 million bushels. If realized, this will be the second largest soybean crop on record, behind only the 231 million bushels harvested last year.

Missouri winter wheat producers harvested 310,000 acres of the 390,000 acres planted last fall. Harvested acreage is down 58 percent from the previous year and 73 percent below 2008. Yield per harvested acre is forecast at 44 bushels, 3 bushels per acre less than a year earlier and 4 bushels per acre below 2008. Production is forecast at 13.6 million bushels, the third lowest on record, 61 percent below last year and 76 percent below 2008.

The total area of all hay to be harvested in Missouri is forecast at 3.95 million acres, 2 percent above last year but 6 percent below 2008. Harvested acres of alfalfa are forecast at 250,000 acres which are expected to produce 800,000 tons with a yield of 3.20 tons per acre. Other hay harvested acres are forecast at 3.7 million acres. Production of other hay is forecast at 7.03 million tons with a yield of 1.90 tons per acre. Cotton planted acres in Missouri are estimated at 300,000 acres, 10 percent above last year. Producers expect to harvest 298,000 acres. A yield of 983 pounds per acre is forecast, the third highest yield on record. The resulting 610,000 480-pound bales would be 108,000 bales above last year. Planted acres of Missouri rice are estimated at a record high 217,000 acres, 7 percent above 2009. Harvested acres are forecast at 215,000 acres, also a record high and 8 percent above last year. A record yield of 7,000 pounds per acre is forecast, 290 pounds per acre above last year. If realized, this would result in a record production of 15.1 million hundredweight, 12 percent above a year earlier.

Planted acres of sorghum in Missouri are estimated at 50,000 acres, tied with last year for the lowest sorghum planted acres on record. Sorghum acres to be harvested for grain are forecast at 45,000 acres, up 5 percent from last year. A yield of 95 bushels per acre is expected which would result in a production of 4.28 million bushels, 16 percent above 2009.

United States Crops

U.S. corn production is forecast at a record high 13.4 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the previous record set in 2009. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average a record high 165.0 bushels per acre, up 0.3 bushel from last year’s record of 164.7.

Soybean production in the U.S. is forecast at a record high 3.43 billion bushels, up 2 percent from last year. Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 44.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from last year’s record high yield. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 78.0 million acres, unchanged from June but up 2 percent from 2009.

U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.52 billion bushels, up 1 percent from last month and up slightly from 2009. The United States yield is forecast at 47.5 bushels per acre, up 0.6 bushel from last month and up 3.3 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the second highest yield on record, trailing only 1999. The area expected to be harvested for grain totals 32.1 million acres, unchanged from last month but down 7 percent from last year.

U.S. rice production is forecast at 246 million cwt, up 12 percent from last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 3.49 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but up 13 percent from 2009. Planted area, at 3.51 million acres, is also unchanged from the June estimate. U.S. upland cotton production is forecast at 18.0 million 480-pound bales, 53 percent above 2009. U.S. sorghum production is forecast at 383 million bushels, up slightly from last year. Expected area for harvest as grain is forecast at 5.18 million acres, down 6 percent from 2009. Based on August 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 74.1 bushels per acre, up 4.7 bushels from last year.