WOOSTER, Ohio — What is now being called the second warmest July on record, and the warmest January-July span on record, is also expected to set records in crop production.
Nationally, farmers are on track to produce the largest corn and soybean crops in history, according to the Crop Production report released Aug. 12 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Corn production is forecast at 13.4 billion bushels and soybean production at 3.43 billion bushels, both up 2 percent from the previous records set in 2009.
Corn yields are expected to average a record-high 165 bushels per acre, up 0.3 bushel from last year’s previous record, and soybean yields are projected to meet last year’s record of 44 bushels per acre.
Buckeye State
In Ohio, the corn yield is up, while soybean and winter what yields are down, following a year plagued by high amounts of vomitoxin and head scab.
Ohio’s average corn yield is forecast at 176 bushels per acre, an increase of 2 bushels from last year. Total production is forecast at 595 million bushels.
Growers expect to harvest 3.38 million acres for grain in 2010, 240,000 acres more than in 2009.
That’s good news to the Ohio Corn Growers Association, which said in a statement, Ohio is providing for its own needs and the needs of global markets — from food uses to fuel and ethanol.
“Farmers in Ohio have always provided to global markets after taking care of domestic needs,” said Ohio Corn Growers Association Executive Director Dwayne Siekman. “Each year there is a carryover of corn — with corn stored in bins. This shows that growers are more than capable of supplying food, feed and fuel.”
Ohio soybean yield is forecast at 46 bushels per acre, down 3 bushels from the 2009 state average. If realized, the state’s production would total 215.3 million bushels, down 3 percent from last year. Harvested acreage is forecast at 4.68 million acres, up 150,000 from 2009.
Cereal grains
Winter wheat yield is estimated at 61 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from the previous forecast and 11 bushels below the previous year’s state average.
Total production is estimated at 46 million bushels, 34 percent less than in 2009. Acreage for harvest is estimated at 760,000 acres, down 220,000 acres.
Ohio’s oat yield is forecast at 70 bushels per acre, down 3 bushels from the previous month’s forecast and down 5 bushels from the state’s 2009 average. Total state production is forecast at 3.5 million bushels from an expected 50,000 harvested acres.
Alfalfa hay yield in Ohio is forecast at 3.4 tons per acre, even with the 2009 state yield. Total production is forecast at 1.22 million tons, down 5 percent from last year. Producers intend to harvest 360,000 acres in 2010, down 20,000 from last year.
All other hay yield is forecast at 2.30 tons per acre, down 0.1 tons from 2009. Total state production is forecast at 1.54 million tons, down 3 percent from the previous year. Acreage for harvest is forecast at 670,000 acres, up 10,000 from last year.
Keystone State
Pennsylvania farmers expect to produce more barley and oats, but production is expected to be lower for winter wheat, corn for grain, soybeans, dry alfalfa hay, and other dry hay.
Winter wheat acres harvested totaled 155,000, which is 11 percent less than last year. The winter wheat yield is estimated at 61 bushels per acre. The total winter wheat production of 9.46 million bushels is 4 percent below last year.
Barley acreage for harvest stands at 50,000 acres, 5,000 acres more than 2009 and has a forecasted yield of 75 bushels per acre. Barley production is expected to be 3.75 million bushels, 11 percent above last year’s production.
Oats acreage for harvest stands at 85,000, up 5,000 acres from a year ago, with a yield forecast of 61 bushels per acre. The resulting oat production of 5.19 million bushels would be 6 percent above last year.
Corn acreage for grain stands at 940,000 acres, 20,000 acres more than 2009. Corn yield is forecast at 132 bushels per acre, 11 bushels per acre below last year’s yield. If realized, the corn for grain production would be 124.1 million bushels, 6 percent less than last year.
Soybean acreage for harvest is set at 465,000, up 20,000 acres from last year. The expected yield is 43 bushels per acre, down 3 bushels from 2009. Production is set at 20 million bushels, 2 percent below last year.
The findings are based on 27,000 surveys by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, from July 25-Aug. 6, as well as field measurements in the major crop-producing states. Crop Production is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
