The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its crop production report Wednesday from the October Agricultural Yield Survey conducted at the beginning of the month. Based on October 1 conditions, the report showed corn production is expected to be down 28 percent from last year, and soybean production just slightly lower.
"Lack of rain and higher than normal temperatures in mid-June to mid-July really hurt the corn yield", said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. "Two-thirds of the corn has been harvested and one-third of the soybeans, very close to normal progress."
Corn production in Kentucky is forecast at 198 million bushels, down 28% from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 149 bushels per acre, down 43 bushels from the 2021 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 1.33 million acres, down 110,000 acres from 2021. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 13.9 billion bushels, down slightly from the September forecast and down 8% from 2021. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 171.9 bushels per acre, down 0.6 bushels from last month and down 4.8 bushels from 2021. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 80.8 million acres, unchanged from the September forecast and down 5% from 2021.
Soybean production for Kentucky is forecast at 103 million bushels, down slightly from 2021. Yield was estimated at 53 bushels per acre, down 3.0 bushels from a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 1.94 million acres, up 100,000 acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.31 billion bushels, down 1% from the September forecast and down 3% from last year. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 49.8 bushels per acre, down 0.7 bushels from last month and down 1.9 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 86.6 million acres.
Kentucky burley tobacco production is forecast at 57.0 million pounds, down 21% from 2021. Yield was projected at 1,900 pounds per acre, down 150 pounds from the 2021 crop. Harvested acreage was estimated at 30,000 acres, down 5,000 acres from last year's crop. For the burley producing states production is forecast at 65.7 million pounds, down 22% from last year. Burley growers plan to harvest 34,850 acres, down 15% from 2021. Yields were expected to average 1,885 pounds per acre, down 170 pounds from last year.
Production of Kentucky dark fire-cured tobacco is forecast at 31.7 million pounds, up 9% from the previous year. Dark air-cured tobacco production is forecast at 16.2 million pounds, up slightly from last year.
Alfalfa hay production by Kentucky farmers is forecast at 340,000 tons, up 3% the 2021 level. Other hay production is estimated at 4.33 million tons, down 17% from last year.
Categories: Kentucky, Crops, Corn