WASHINGTON — The Crop Production report issued Aug. 12 by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecasted soybean and corn production up from 2020. Soybean production is up 5% from last year, forecast at 4.34 billion bushels; corn growers are expected to increase their production 4% from 2020, forecast at 14.8 billion bushels.
Average corn yield is forecast at 174.6 bushels per acre, up 2.6 bushels from last year. NASS forecasts record-high yields in California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Acres planted to corn, at 92.7 million, are up 2% from 2020. As of Aug. 1, 62% of this year’s corn crop was reported in good or excellent condition, 10 percentage points above the same time last year.
Area for soybean harvest is forecast at 86.7 million acres with planted area for the nation estimated at 87.6 million acres, up 5% from last year. Soybean yields are expected to average 50.0 bushels per acre, down 0.2 bushel from 2020. If realized, the forecasted yields in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas will be record highs.
Wheat production is forecast at 1.70 billion bushels, down 7% from 2020. Growers are expected to produce 1.32 billion bushels of winter wheat this year, down 3% from the previous forecast but up 13% from last year. Durum wheat production is forecast at 34.7 million bushels, down 50% from 2020. All other spring wheat production is forecast at 343 million bushels, down 41% from last year. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, the U.S. all wheat yield is forecast at 44.5 bushels per acre, down 5.2 bushels from 2020.
The new report also included the first production forecast for U.S. cotton. NASS forecasts all cotton production at 17.3 million 480-pound bales, up 18% from last year. Yield is expected to average 800 pounds per harvested acre, down 47 pounds from 2020.
NASS interviewed approximately 18,600 producers across the country in preparation for this report. NASS is now gearing up to conduct its September Agricultural Survey, which will collect final acreage, yield, and production information for wheat, barley, oats, and rye as well as grains and oilseeds stored on farms across the country. That survey will take place during the first two weeks of September.
The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.
