October’s Crop Production Report released
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Field Office of NASS released the USDA’s October Crop Production Report Oct. 1.
As of Oct. 1, the corn for grain yield in Illinois was estimated at 98 bushels per acre, down 12 bushels from the Sept. 1 forecast. Production would be 1.22 billion bushels, 38 percent less than last year’s crop. As of Sept. 30, 71 percent of the crop was harvested, which compares to 29 percent last year at that time, and a five-year average of 33 percent. Acres planted and harvested were each updated, based on administrative data, down to 12.8 million and 12.4 million. These are both decreases of 200,000 acres from the previous month.
The Oct. 1 forecast yield for soybeans in Illinois was estimated at 39 bushels per acre, two bushels above the Sept. 1 estimate. Production is expected to total 343.2 million bushels, down 19 percent from last year. As of Sept. 30, 22 percent of the crop had been harvested compared to 10 percent last year and the five-year average of 21 percent. The new acreage estimates are up 450 thousand from last month.
The final yield for the 2012 winter wheat crop was 63 bushels per acre, up two bushels from last year’s yield. Acreage seeded in the fall of 2011 was 660 thousand acres, down 140 thousand acres from 2010. Farmers harvested 645 thousand acres for grain this year, down 120 thousand acres from last year. This resulted in a total production of 40.6 million bushels, down 13 percent from the 2011 production.
Nationally, corn production is forecast at 10.7 billion bushels, down slightly from the September forecast and down 13 percent from 2011. This represents the lowest production in the United States since 2006. Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, yields are expected to average 122.0 bushels per acre, down 0.8 bushel from the September forecast and 25.2 bushels below the 2011 average. If realized, this will be the lowest average yield since 1995. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 87.7 million acres, up less than 1 percent from the September forecast and up 4 percent from 2011.
Soybean production is forecast at 2.86 billion bushels, up 9 percent from September but down 8 percent from last year. Based on Oct. 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 37.8 bushels per acre, up 2.5 bushels from last month but down 4.1 bushels from last year. Compared with last month, yield forecasts are higher or unchanged across all states. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 75.7 million acres, up 1 percent from September and up 3 percent from last year.
All wheat production totaled 2.27 billion bushels in 2012, up 13 percent from 2011. Grain area totaled 49.0 million acres, up 7 percent from the previous year. The United States yield is 46.3 bushels per acre, up 2.6 bushels from the previous year and matches the record high from 2010. The levels of production and changes from 2011 by type are winter wheat, 1.65 billion bushels, up 10 percent; other spring wheat, 542 million bushels, up 19 percent, and Durum wheat, 82.0 million bushels, up 62 percent.
The 2012 winter wheat production totaled 1.65 billion bushels, down 2 percent from the August forecast but 10 percent above the previous year. The United States yield is 47.2 bushels per acre, down 0.8 bushel from August but up 1.0 bushel from 2011. The United States yield is the second highest on record, 0.6 bushel below 1999. Area harvested for grain is estimated at 34.8 million acres, down 1 percent from August but up 8 percent from the previous year.
