Corn Production Down Less Than 1 Percent from August Forecast
Soybean Production Up Slightly
Cotton Production Up 3 Percent
Corn production is forecast at 13.6 billion bushels, down 4 percent from last year's record production and down less than 1 percent from the August bnforecast. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 167.5 bushels per acre, down 1.3 bushels from the August forecast and down 3.5 bushels from 2014. If realized, this will be the second highest yield and third largest production on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.1 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast but down 2 percent from 2014.
Soybean production is forecast at 3.94 billion bushels, up slightly from August but down 1 percent from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 47.1 bushels per acre, up 0.2 bushel from last month but down 0.7 bushel from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at a record 83.5 million acres, unchanged from August but up less than 1 percent from 2014.
All cotton production is forecast at 13.4 million 480-pound bales, up 3 percent from the August forecast but down 18 percent from 2014. Yield is expected to average 789 pounds per harvested acre, down 6 percent from last year. Upland cotton production is forecast at 13.0 million 480-pound bales, down 18 percent from 2014. Pima cotton production, forecast at 451,000 bales, is down 20 percent from last year.
California Navel orange production for the 2015-2016 season is forecast at 1.72 million tons (43.0 million boxes), up 9 percent from last season. This initial forecast is based on an objective measurement survey conducted in California's Central Valley from mid-July to early September. The objective survey measurements indicated that fruit set and the average fruit size were above last year. Harvest is expected to begin in October.
Source: USDA