Corn production is forecast at 13.1 billion bushels, up 24 percent from last year and 17 percent above 2005. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 152.8 bushels per acre, up 3.7 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the second highest yield on record, behind the 160.4 bushel yield in 2004. However, production will be the largest on record as growers intend to harvest the most corn acres for grain since 1933. Yield forecasts are higher than last year across the Great Plains where frequent rainfall during much of the growing season provided abundant soil moisture for filling the crop. Higher yields are also expected in the central Corn Belt and Delta where timely rains benefitted the crop. Expected yields across much of the northern and eastern Corn Belt, Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley, Southeast, and Atlantic Coast States are below last year as hot, dry conditions during much of the growing season reduced soil moisture supplies and stressed the crop.

Soybean production is forecast at 2.63 billion bushels, down 18 percent from last year’s record high and down 14 percent from 2005. Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 41.5 bushels per acre, down 1.2 bushels from last year. Yields are lower than 2006 throughout most of the Atlantic Coast States, most of the Corn Belt, and the Tennessee Valley, while yields are expected to remain unchanged or increase across the Great Plains, the Gulf Coast States, and Arkansas. Area for harvest, at 63.3 million acres, remains unchanged from June but is down 15 percent from 2006.

All cotton production is forecast at 17.3 million 480-pound bales, down 20 percent from last year’s
21.6 million bales. Yield is expected to average 783 pounds per harvested acre, down 31 pounds from 2006. Producers expect to harvest 10.6 million acres of all cotton and 10.3 million acres of upland cotton, down 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Upland cotton production is forecast at 16.5 million 480-pound bales, 21 percent below 2006. Texas producers are expecting to produce 6.10 million 480-pound bales of upland cotton, up 5 percent from last year. With ideal weather in Mississippi and Arkansas, producers expect higher yields than last year. American-Pima production is forecast at 808,500 bales, up 6 percent from last year. American-Pima harvested area is expected to total 293,000 acres, down 9 percent from 2006.

All wheat production, at 2.11 billion bushels, is down 1 percent from the July forecast but up 17 percent from 2006. Based on August 1 conditions, the U.S. yield is forecast at 40.6 bushels per acre, down 0.1 bushel from last month but 1.9 bushels above last year.

Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.54 billion bushels. This is down 2 percent from last month but 18 percent above 2006. The U.S. yield is forecast at 41.3 bushels per acre, down 0.3 bushel from last month and down 0.4 bushel from last year. The area expected to be harvested for grain totals 37.2 million acres, down 1 percent from last month but up 20 percent from last year.

Hard Red Winter, at 948 million bushels, is down 2 percent from a month ago. Soft Red Winter, at
360 million bushels, is down 1 percent from the last forecast. White Winter is down 2 percent from last month and now totals 230 million bushels. Of this total, 17.8 million bushels are Hard White and 212 million bushels are Soft White.

Durum wheat production is forecast at 76.7 million bushels, down 3 percent from July but up 43 percent from 2006. The U.S. yield is forecast at 35.5 bushels per acre, down 0.9 bushel from last month but 6.0 bushels above last year. Expected area to be harvested for grain totals 2.16 million acres, unchanged from last month but up 19 percent from last year.

Other Spring wheat production is forecast at 500 million bushels, up slightly from last month and 9 percent above 2006. Area harvested for grain totals 12.7 million acres, unchanged from last month but down 8 percent from last year. The U.S. yield is forecast at 39.3 bushels per acre, 0.2 bushel above last month and 6.1 bushels above 2006. Of the total production, 473 million bushels are Hard Red Spring wheat, up less than 1 percent from last month.

Full report: http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/crop0807.pdf