Kentucky corn, soybeans still on record-level path

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the November Crop Production report today, showing continued possibilities of a record corn yield and record yield and production for soybeans.

“If realized, this would be the highest corn yield on record in the Commonwealth, surpassing the previous high of 172 bushels per acre in 2015,” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “Production will still be lower than last year due to the decrease in harvested acres. Corn harvest is starting to wrap up and should be complete in another week or two.”

Corn production in Kentucky is forecast at 219 million bushels, up two percent from the October forecast and down one percent from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 177 bushels per acre, up three bushels from last month and up 18 bushels from the 2016 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 1.24 million acres, down 160,000 acres from 2016. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 14.6 billion bushels, up two percent from the October forecast and down four percent from 2016. Based on conditions as of Nov. 1, yields are expected to average 175.4 bushels per acre, up 3.6 bushels from last month and up 0.8 bushel from 2016. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 83.1 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast and down four percent from 2016. 

“Forecasts still project a record high soybean yield and production,” Knopf said. “Yield dropped by a bushel from last month, but remains two bushels above last year’s record yield. Harvest is running slightly behind average and progress has been slowed by recent rainfall.”

Soybean production for Kentucky is forecast at 101 million bushels, down two percent from the October forecast and up 13 percent from 2016. Yield was estimated at 52 bushels per acre, down one bushel from last month and up two bushels from a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 1.94 million acres, up 160,000 acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.43 billion bushels, down slightly from the October forecast and up three percent from last year. Based on Nov. 1, conditions, yields are expected to average 49.5 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month and down 2.5 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 89.5 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast and up eight percent from 2016.

NASS gathered data for the November Crop Production Report from the Agricultural Yield Survey earlier this month. The monthly yield surveys begin in May with the focus on small grains through July and shift to row crops beginning in August through the remainder of the growing season.

All reports are available on the NASS website: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Calendar/reports_by_date.php.

For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Kentucky Field Office at (800) 928-5277, or visit https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Kentucky/.