Bin buster

With harvest work winding down, U.S. corn growers remain on track for a record-high 14-billion-bushel production year, according to the November crop production report, released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistic Service.
NASS has revised the acreage planted to corn this season to 95.3 million acres, down 2 percent from the previous estimate. Despite the decrease, however, production forecast remains high, due to high forecasted yields. This season’s yields are expected to average 160.4 bushels per acre, with corn growers in 18 states forecast to reach record yields this year.
NASS also reduced the planted area for soybeans to 76.5 million acres, down 1 percent from the previous forecast. However, favorable weather conditions have resulted in higher pod counts, compared with the 2012 crop. Soybean yields are expected to average 43 bushels per acre, with the final production forecast at 3.26 billion bushels. If realized, this will be the third largest production year on record.
NASS interviewed about 10,000 producers across the country in preparation for the report. In addition, to farmer interviews, NASS also used its national and state level yield measurements to determine accurate yield and production forecasts.