U.S. farmers are poised to produce the largest corn and soybean crops in history, according to the Crop Production report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Corn production is forecast at 13.4 billion bushels and soybean production at 3.43 billion bushels. Both estimated totals are 2% above the previous records set in 2009.
Based on crop conditions as of Aug. 1, corn yields are expected to average a record-high 165 bushels per acre, up 0.3 bushels from last year’s previous record. Soybean yields are projected to equal last year’s record of 44 bushels per acre.
The August Crop Production report is USDA’s first survey-based estimates of yield and production for corn, soybeans and other spring-planted row crops. NASS surveyed approximately 27,000 producers between July 25 and Aug. 6 and also took objective field measurements in the major crop-producing states.
Crop production is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.