E-mail: nass-ny@nass.usda.gov
(518) 457-5570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Greg Lemmons
Friday, October 9, 2009
800-821-1276

www.nass.usda.gov/ny


                            NEW YORK SOYBEAN PRODUCTION INCREASES

     Based on conditions as of October 1, New York soybean production is expected to total a 
record high 10.6 million bushels, up 2 percent from 2008. Yields are forecast at 42 bushels per 
acre, down 4 bushels from last year. Acreage for harvest is expected to total a record high 252 
thousand acres, up 12 percent from last year’s 226 thousand acres.  U.S. soybean production is 
forecast at a record high 3.25 billion bushels, up slightly from the September forecast and up 10 
percent from last year. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 42.4 bushels 
per acre, up 0.1 bushel from last month and up 2.7 bushels from 2008. If realized, this will be the 
third highest yield on record.  Compared with last month, yields are forecast higher or unchanged in 
all States except Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and New York.  Area for harvest in the U.S. is 
forecast at 76.6 million acres, down slightly from the previous estimate but up 3 percent from 2008.

    New York grain corn production is estimated at 79.2 million bushels, down 14 percent from last 
year’s record high production of 92.2 million bushels. Yields are expected to average 132 bushels 
per acre, down 12 bushels from last year’s record high. Acreage for harvest is expected to total 600 
thousand acres, down 6 percent from the 640 thousand acres harvested for grain in 2008. 
Nationally, grain corn production is forecast at 13.0 billion bushels, up slightly from last month and 
8 percent higher than 2008. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 
164.2 bushels per acre, up 2.3 bushels from September and 10.3 bushels above last year. If 
realized, this yield will be the highest on record and total production will be second only to the 
record set in 2007. Based on administrative information, acreage updates were made in several 
States and farmers now expect to harvest 79.3 million acres for grain, down 1 percent from the 
September forecast but 1 percent above 2008.

    New York production of dry alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures, at 840 thousand tons, is down 11 
percent from last year. Other dry hay production, which includes clover-timothy, mixed grasses, 
etc., is forecast at 1.59 million tons, down 9 percent from a year ago. All dry hay production for the 
nation is forecast at 153 million tons, up 5 percent from last year. 
     
    Dry bean production for the Empire State is expected to total 213 thousand hundredweight 
(cwt.), 34 percent below a year earlier. Yields are expected to average 1,300 pounds per acre, down 
630 pounds from last year’s record high of 1,930 pounds per acre. Nationally, dry edible bean 
production is forecast at 25.2 million cwt for 2009, up 3 percent from the August forecast but 2 
percent below 2008. Planted area is forecast at 1.53 million acres, up 3 percent from the August 
forecast and the previous year’s estimate. Harvested area is forecast at 1.44 million acres, 3 
percent above the August forecast but 1 percent below the previous year’s harvested acreage. The 
average U.S. yield is forecast at 1,754 pounds per acre, an increase of 4 pounds from August’s 
forecast but 14 pounds below the 2008 yield. Production is expected to be
higher than 2008 in 11 of the 18 producing States.

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10-09-09