Alfalfa hay production in Montana is estimated to be 3.6 million tons, up 19 percent from the previous year. Alfalfa hay yield is 2.2 tons per acre, up from the August forecast of 2.1 tons per acre, and up from the 2008 yield of 1.9 tons per acre. Harvested area, at 1.65 million acres, is unchanged from the August forecast, but 50,000 acres above 2008. Other hay yield, at 1.5 tons per acre, is unchanged from the August forecast, but up 0.2 ton per acre from last year. Other hay production is expected to be 1.2 million tons, up15 percent from 2008. Other hay harvested area, at 800,000 acres, is unchanged from August and 2008. All hay production is estimated to be 4.8 million tons, up 18 percent from last year. All hay yield is estimated to be 2.0 tons per acre, up from 1.7 tons per acre last year.

Montana's sugar beet production is forecast at 1,118,000 tons for 2009, unchanged from the September forecast, but 36 percent above 2008. Forecasted yield, at 29.5 tons per acre, is unchanged from September, but up 2.7 tons per acre from last year. If realized, this would be the highest yield on record. Harvested acreage, at 37,900 acres, is unchanged from September, but up 7,200 acres from last year.

Montana canola producers expect to harvest 6,200 acres in 2009, compared with 7,400 in 2008. Yield is expected to be 2,100 pounds per acre, up 10 percent from last year. Production is expected to total 13.0 million pounds, compared with 14.1 million pounds last year.

U.S. alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures production is forecast at 72.0 million tons, down 1.4 percent from the August forecast but up 3.4 percent from last year. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 3.43 tons per acre, down 0.05 ton from August but up 0.11 ton from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 21.0 million acres, unchanged from August but up slightly from the previous year's acreage.

U.S. other hay production is forecast at 80.8 million tons, up 2 percent from the August forecast and up 6 percent from last year. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 2.06 tons per acre, up 0.05 ton from August and up 0.11 ton from last year. This forecast matches 2004 as the record high yield. Harvested area, at 39.2 million acres, is unchanged from the August forecast but up 113,000 acres from 2008.

U.S. Sugar beets production for the 2009 crop year is forecast at 30.1 million tons, 1 percent below the September 1 forecast but up 15 percent from last year. Production forecasts remained unchanged from September in all estimating States except Minnesota and North Dakota where slight decreases in expected yield led to decreased production. Growers expect to harvest 1.16 million acres, unchanged from the September 1 forecast but 15 percent above last year. Expected yield is forecast at a record high 26.8 tons per acre, down 0.2 ton from September but up 0.1 ton from 2008. Record high yields are also forecast in Colorado, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming.

The first U.S. canola production forecast for 2009 is 1.50 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 2008. Area planted, at 831,000 acres, is down 2 percent from the June estimate and down 18 percent from last year. Canola farmers expect to harvest 807,500 acres, down 2 percent from June and down 18 percent from 2008. The October yield forecast, at 1,861 pounds per acre, is 400 pounds above last year's yield. If realized, this will be the highest U.S. yield on record.