Smaller Kentucky Corn and Soybean Harvests Expected

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its crop production report today from the September Agricultural Yield Survey conducted at the beginning of the month. Based on September 1 conditions, the report showed corn production is expected to be down 28 percent from last year, and soybeans 2 percent lower.

"The high temperatures and drought in June and July took a toll on crops, corn more than soybeans", said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. "It will be the smallest corn crop since 2012, which is due to a combination of fewer acres along with a lower yield. Forecast soybean yield is down from last year, but is expected to be above the five-year average."

Corn production is forecast at 200 million bushels, down 28% from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 150 bushels per acre, up 3.0 bushels from last month and down 42.0 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 3% from the August forecast and down 8% from last year's record production. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 172.5 bushels per acre, down 2.9 bushels from last month and down 4.5 bushels from 2021. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 80.8 million acres, down 1% from the August forecast but down 5% from 2021.

Soybean production for Kentucky is forecast at 101 million bushels, down 2% from 2021. Yield was estimated at 52.0 bushels per acre, down 2.0 from last month and down 4.0 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 4.38 billion bushels, down 3% from the August forecast but down 1% from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 50.5 bushels per acre, down 1.4 bushels from last month but down 0.9 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 86.6 million acres, down 1% from the August forecast but up slightly from 2021.

Kentucky burley tobacco production is forecast at 58.9 million pounds, down 18% from 2021. Yield was projected at 1,900 pounds per acre, up 100 pounds from last month and down 150 pounds from the 2021 crop. Harvested acreage was estimated at 31,000 acres, down 4,000 acres from last year's crop. For the burley producing states production is forecast at 67.2 million pounds, down 20% from last year. Burley growers plan to harvest 35,850 acres, down 13 percent from 2021. Yields were expected to average 1,873 pounds per acre, down 182 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 14.6 million pounds, down 9% from last year.