Nebraska 2025 Annual Crop Production Summary

Jan 14, 2026

Nebraska’s 2025 crop production reflected a year of contrasts, with strong corn yields driving higher grain output while several forage and specialty crops declined or shifted sharply from the previous year. Corn production rebounded on higher yields and increased harvested acreage, pushing total output back above 2 billion bushels. Soybean production also increased despite fewer acres, as improved yields offset year-to-year acreage reductions. In contrast, grain sorghum and hay production declined, while sorghum silage and alfalfa haylage production increased substantially, pointing to continued adjustments in forage use and crop mix across the state.

Corn for grain production in Nebraska based on year-end surveys is estimated at 2.02 billion bushels, up 12% from 2024, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yield of 194 bushels per acre is up 6 bushels from last year. Farmers harvested 10.5 million acres of corn for grain, up 9% from 2024. Corn for silage production is 4.41 million tons, down 25% from last year. Silage yield of 21.0 tons per acre is unchanged compared to last year. Corn for silage harvested acreage of 280,000 acres is down 70,000 acres from last year. Corn acreage planted for all purposes is 10.75 million acres, up 7% from last year.

Soybean production for 2025 totaled 314 million bushels, up 4% from 2024. Yield, at 65.5 bushels per acre, is up 8 bushels from a year earlier. Area for harvest, at 4.79 million acres, is down 9% from 2024. Planted acreage totaled 4.85 million acres, down 9% from last year.

Sorghum for grain production in 2025 is estimated at 17.8 million bushels, down 19% from 2024. Yield, at 87.0 bushels per acre, is up 2.0 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 205,000 acres, is down 21% from 2024. Sorghum for silage production is 490,000 tons, up 229% from last year. Silage yield of 14.0 tons per acre is up 5.7 tons from last year. Sorghum for silage harvested acreage of 35,000 acres is up 17,000 acres from last year. Sorghum acreage planted for all purposes is 250,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from last year.

Source : unl.edu

Video: Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

On Friday, April 24, 2026, from 12 noon–1:00 ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law:

“Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard”

The Clean Air Act’s Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program requires transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain a minimum volume of renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, or advanced biofuels. Established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and later expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This webinar provides an overview of the legal authority and structure for the RFS program and explain how it works, including the program’s system of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and categories of renewable fuels. Additionally, this webinar addresses EPA annual volume requirement rulemaking and associated recent legal issues.