Record soybean surge as US corn declines

Aug 13, 2024
By Farms.com

USDA forecasts mixed fortunes for major crops

The latest USDA report delivered by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides an update on the U.S. agricultural sector's outlook for 2024.

Corn production is anticipated to decrease by 1% to 15.1 billion bushels, while soybeans are projected to set a record with a 10% increase to 4.59 billion bushels.

Corn yields are notably high at a record-setting 183.1 bushels per acre, reflecting an increase of 5.8 bushels from last year. This achievement is seen across multiple states, with over two-thirds of the crop rated in good or excellent condition.

Soybeans also show promising prospects, with expected yields reaching a record 53.2 bushels per acre, indicating favorable growth conditions across major producing states.

Wheat producers have reasons to be optimistic as well, with overall production up 9% at 1.98 billion bushels. This includes a significant 30% increase in durum wheat and a solid performance in other spring wheat varieties.

Additionally, the cotton sector is experiencing a revival with a 25% production increase, although yield per acre has slightly decreased from the previous year.

As the agricultural community anticipates the September survey results, this report underscores the dynamic nature of crop production and its critical impact on both national and international food supplies.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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