August 14, 2007

 

Minnesota's soy production seen down by 22 percent

 

 

The National Agricultural Statistics Service Information (NASS) of the US Department of Agriculture forecasts soy production in Minnesota is forecast at 248 million bushels, down 22 percent from last year's record high production due to expanded acreage for corn for ethanol.

 

Based on August 1 conditions, soy yield are forecast at 40 bushels per acre, 4 bushels below the yield of 44 bushels per acre in 2006.

 

On the contrary, the Minnesota NAAS field office projects the state's corn production at 1.19 billion bushels for 2007, the highest yield since the 2005 record. That level is 8 percent above last year.

 

The August 1 yield is forecast at 156 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from last year's yield of 161 bushels per acre. Corn for grain harvested is estimated at 7.7 million acres, up 12 percent from last year.

 

The spring wheat crop is estimated at 85.0 million bushels, up 10 percent from last year. Yield is estimated at 50 bushels per acre, up 2 bushels from the July forecast and up 3 bushels per acre from last year.

 

Barley production is predicted at 7.2 million bushels, down 6 percent from last month and up 33 percent from 2006. Yield is forecast at 60 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from July, and unchanged from last year.

 

Oat production is estimated at 12.0 million bushels, unchanged from last month, and up 7 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 63 bushels per acre, unchanged from July and up 7 bushels from last year.

 

The state's sugarbeet crop is estimated at 10.7 million tonnes, down 10 percent from the record high production level in 2006. Yield is estimated at 22.6 tonnes per acre, down 2.3 tonnes per acre from last year's record high yield of 24.9 tonnes per acre.

 

This year's dry bean production is estimated at 2.2 million hundredweight, unchanged from last year. Yield is forecast at 1,650 pounds per acre, unchanged from last year and 150 pounds per acre below the record yield of 1,800 pounds per acre in 2005.

 

Minnesota's alfalfa hay production is estimated at 3.6 million tonnes, down 18 percent from 2006. Yield is forecast at 2.8 tonnes per acre, down 0.5 tonnes per acre from last year.