ST. LOUIS — After three disappointing corn crops in a row, good yields in 2013 will be essential to rebuilding inventories, according to the latest Farm Futures magazine survey.

The extent of that effort takes shape in coming weeks, beginning with USDA's Jan. 11 estimates of 2012 production. The Farm Futures survey showed growers raised 10.62 billion bushels of corn on harvested acreage of 87.5 million and nationwide yields of 121.3 bpa. USDA's November estimate put the crop at 10.725 billion bushels.

Results of the survey were released in January at the opening day of the annual Farm Futures Business Summit in St. Louis, attended by more than 400 producers.