Nebraska crop production near record levels

While weather has played havoc on crop conditions this year, farmers are still looking at near-record corn and soybean crops this season in Nebraska, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

Based on Oct. 1 conditions, Nebraska's corn crop is forecast at 1.39 billion bushels, up 1 percent from last month but 5 percent below last year, according to USDA.

Yield is forecast at 161 bushels per acre, four bushels above last month, the second highest on record but five bushels below the previous high set in 2004. Area to be harvested for grain was decreased 100,000 acres to 8.65 million, 6 percent below a year ago.

Area corn harvest is behind its normal progress, said Todd Gerdes, grain merchandiser of the Aurora Coop.

While area corn has been harvested, Gerdes said the crop is behind its normal stage of development for period of the harvest season.

"It looks like about 10 days later than normal," Gerdes said.

Corn moisture levels vary because spring planting conditions were disrupted by above-average rainfall, causing a good portion of the crop to be planted later than normal or to be replanted because it got flooded out. That caused the crop to fall behind in its maturity.

Gerdes said a lot of corn is still in the low- to mid-20s in moisture content. With some of the longer season corn having moisture levels in the upper 20s and low 30s.

"Normally, by now we expect everything to be in the low 20s or a little bit below," he said.

Gerdes said so far the fall weather has cooperated by not having a freeze or hard freeze that would have killed the crop before it had time to properly mature.

But what corn that has come into the elevator, Gerdes said, looks "a little bit better than expected."

"In come cases, there is going to be some corn that is going to do very well out there," he said. "We are going to be a little closer to average and a little bit above average."

Nationwide, the USDA reported Friday that corn production is forecast at 12.2 billion bushels, up 1 percent from last month but 7 percent below 2007. 

Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, yields are expected to average 154.0 bushels per acre, up 1.7 bushels from September and 2.9 bushels above last year. 

If realized, the USDA said it would be the second highest yield on record, behind 2004, and production will be the second largest, behind last year. 

The USDA also reported Friday that ethanol corn use for 2008-09 is projected to be 100 million bushels lower as reduced gasoline consumption is expected to slow the expansion of blending modestly over the coming months. 

Statewide, soybean production is forecast at 233 million bushels, 3 percent above last month, 18 percent above last year and the third highest harvest on record. 

Area for harvest, at 4.95 million acres, was increased 250,000 acres and is up 29 percent from 2007. Yield is forecast at 47 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from last month and 4 bushels below the record high set in 2007.

Area farmers have made good progress with the soybean harvest, Gerdes said. He said yields have been better than expected, but not quite as good as last year.

"We have to keep in mind that last year was a good year for soybeans," he said. "We expected our beans to yield 10 to 15 percent less than last year. We are doing a little bit better than that."

Soybean production, nationwide, is forecast at 2.98 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the September forecast and up 11 percent from last year, according to the USDA. 

If realized, the USDA said it would be the fourth largest production on record. 

Based on Oct. 1 conditions, the USDA said yields are expected to average 39.5 bushels per acre, down 0.5 bushels from last month and down 2.2 bushels from 2007.

The crop report also said sorghum yield is forecast at 89 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous month but down 9 bushels from last year.  Due to a decrease in harvested acres, production is forecast at 19.6 million bushels, 17 percent below a year ago.