Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 154.7 bushels per acre, up 2.5 bushels from August and 6.8 bushels from last year. If realized, yield and production would be the second largest on record, behind 2004.

Forecast yields are higher than August across the northern Great Plains and western Corn Belt as moderate to heavy precipitation during the month improved soil moisture levels and crop conditions. Expected yields across the eastern Corn Belt are unchanged from last month. Farmers expect to harvest 71.8 million acres of corn for grain, down 250,000 acres from August and down 4 percent from 2005.

Soybean production is forecast at 3.09 billion bushels, up 6 percent from the August forecast and up slightly from the 2005 crop. If realized, this would be the second highest production on record. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 41.8 bushels per acre, up 2.2 bushels from August but down 1.5 bushels from last year's record high yield.

Compared with last month, yields are forecast higher across the Corn Belt and most of the northern and central Great Plains. Near or above normal moisture in those areas during August improved crop conditions. In contrast, yields are down or unchanged from the August 1 forecast across the Gulf Coast States and Atlantic Coast States, with the exception of South Carolina.

ThePigSite News Desk