AUGUST CROP REPORT


News Release                                            August 12, 2005

                                   
            CORN AND SOYBEAN PRODUCTION DOWN FROM LAST YEAR


SIOUX FALLS, August 12, 2005    South Dakota's first corn and  soybean  production forecast
for 2005 is for smaller crops than last year, according to USDA's South Dakota Agriculture
Statistics Service.  The decreases in forecasted production are a result of both fewer acres
harvested and decreased yields from last year.

Corn production in 2005 is forecast at 468.0 million bushels, down 13 percent from last year's
record production.  Yield forecast at 120 bushels per acre is down 10 bushels from last year's
record  and would be the third highest yield on record.  Acres to be harvested for grain, at 3.9
million, are down 6 percent from last year's record corn acres harvested.  

South Dakota's August 1 soybean production forecast is 132.0 million bushels, down 6 percent
from last year's production.  Estimated yield, at 33 bushels per acre, is down 1 bushel from  last
year.  Acres for harvest, at 4.0 million, are down 3 percent from last year.
  
Alfalfa hay production in South Dakota is forecasted at 4.73 million tons, unchanged from last
year.  Forecasted yield is 2.1 tons per acre with 2.25 million acres harvested, both unchanged
from last year.  Other hay production, at 2.38 million tons, is up 11 percent from last year. 
Forecasted yield is 1.4 tons per acre, up 0.1 ton from a year ago.  Other hay harvested acreage,
at 1.7 million, is up 3 percent from last year.

Winter wheat production is forecast at 64.4 million bushels, down 6 percent from the July 1
forecast but still 14 percent above last year.  The yield, at 46 bushels, is down 3 bushels from last
month's forecast but up 1 bushel from last year. 

Other spring wheat production is forecast at 75.3 million bushels, 9 percent below the July 1
forecast but up 5 percent from last year.  Yield, at 43 bushels per acre, is down 4 bushels from
both last month's forecast and  last year's yield.  
               
Sorghum production is forecast at 6.24 million bushels, down 1 percent from 2004.  Expected
yield, at 52 bushels per acre, is 10 bushels above last year.  Grain sorghum harvested acres, at
120,000, are down 20 percent from last year.

Oat production is forecast at 14.4 million bushels,  down 4 percent from the July 1 forecast  but
up 3 percent from last year.  The forecasted yield of 80 bushels is down 3 bushels from the July
1 forecast and down 2 bushels from last year's record yield.  Acres harvested for grain are
forecast at 180,000, up 10,000 acres from last year.

Barley production is forecast at 2.8 million bushels, down 7 percent from last month and down
11 percent from last year.  Yield is forecast at 56 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from last
month's forecast and down 7 bushels from last year.

Dry Edible Bean production is forecast at 22.0 million pounds, up from 16.4 million pounds last
year.  Expected yield, at 1,800 pounds per acre, is down slightly from 1,840 last year.  Harvested
acres, at 12,200, are up 37 percent from last year.
                                   



       The complete report can be accessed at www.usda.gov/nass
              or call Carter Anderson or Steve Noyes at
                            605-323-6500