November 9, 2011

Missouri Crop Production Forecast Unchanged From Previous Month

(COLUMBIA, MO) -“The end of a very unusual growing season is welcomed after late planting, floods, drought, and hail,” said Gene Danekas, Director of the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service.  “Despite the extreme conditions experienced throughout Missouri, producers are expecting the fourth largest soybean harvest on record and the eighth largest corn harvest.”

Corn production in Missouri is forecast at 359 million bushels, down 3 percent from last year’s crop.  The projected yield of 115 bushels per acre is 8 bushels per acre below the 123 bushels per acre yield of 2010.  If realized, this will be the eighth largest corn crop on record.

Missouri soybean production is forecast at 194 million bushels based on November 1 conditions, 8 percent below 2010.  A State yield average of 37 bushels per acre is expected, 4.5 bushels per acre below last year.  This would be the fourth largest soybean crop on record.

Rice yield in Missouri is forecast at a record 7,200 pounds per acre, 720 pounds per acre more than the 2010 yield.  Even with the record yield, production is only expected to total 9.22 million cwt., 43 percent less than 2010 due to the large drop in harvested acres. Harvested acres are expected to total 128,000 acres compared with 251,000 acres harvested in 2010.

Cotton production in Missouri is forecast at 860,000 bales, 26 percent above last year’s production.  The forecast yield of 1,131 pounds is 63 pounds per acre above last year’s yield.  This would be the largest yield on record.

Missouri grain sorghum production is forecast at 2.80 million bushels, an increase of 9 percent from last year.  The State yield forecast of 80 bushels per acre is up 2 bushels per acre from last year.

United States Corn and Soybean Production down From October

Corn production in the United States is forecast at 12.3 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the October forecast and down 1 percent from 2010. If realized, this will be the fourth largest production total on record for the United States. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 146.7 bushels per acre, down 1.4 bushels from the October forecast and down 6.1 bushels from 2010. If realized, this will be the lowest average yield since 2003. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 83.9 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast.

U. S. soybean production is forecast at 3.05 billion bushels, down slightly from the October forecast and down 9 percent from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 41.3 bushels per acre, down 0.2 bushel from last month and down 2.2 bushels from last year. If realized, the average yield will be the second lowest since 2003. Area for harvest is forecast at 73.7 million acres, unchanged from October but down 4 percent from 2010.

U. S. rice production is forecast at 188 million cwt, up 1 percent from October but 23 percent below last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 2.62 million acres, unchanged from October but 27 percent lower than 2010. The average United States yield is forecast at 7,167 pounds per acre, up 44 pounds from last month and 442 pounds above last year.

All cotton production in the U. S. is forecast at 16.3 million 480-pound bales, down 2 percent from the October forecast and down 10 percent from last year. Yield is expected to average 794 pounds per harvested acre, down 18 pounds from last year. Upland cotton production is forecast at 15.6 million 480-pound bales, down 12 percent from 2010.

U. S. sorghum production is forecast at 246 million bushels, up 1 percent from last month but down 29 percent from last year. If realized, this will be the lowest production level since 1956. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 4.43 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but down 8 percent from 2010. If realized, this will be the lowest harvested acreage level since 1936. Based on November 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 55.5 bushels per acre, up 0.5 bushel from last month but down 16.3 bushels from last year.