Record Corn and Soybean Yields Possible for Kentucky

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the November Crop Production report today, showing the potential for record high Kentucky corn and soybean yields.

"As farmers are working their way through harvest, they are consistently finding solid yields," said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. "A majority of the corn and soybeans have been harvested, and with good weather harvest will be complete before the end of November."

Corn production in Kentucky is forecast at 274 million bushels, up 2% from the October forecast and up 10% from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 189 bushels per acre, up 4 bushels from last month and up 5 bushels from the 2020 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 1.45 million acres, up 90,000 acres from 2020. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up slightly from the October forecast and up 7% from 2020. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 177.0 bushels per acre, up 0.5 bushels from last month and up 5.6 bushels from 2020. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 85.1 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast and up 3% from 2020.

Soybean production for Kentucky is forecast at 100 million bushels, up 2% from the October forecast and down 1% from 2020. Yield was estimated at 56 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel from last month and a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 1.79 million acres, down 50,000 acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.42 billion bushels, down 1% from the October forecast and up 5% from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 51.2 bushels per acre, down 0.3 bushels from last month and up 0.2 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 86.4 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast and up 5% from 2020.