USDA's annual fall crop summary

The Illinois Field Office today released the USDA's Annual Fall Crop Summary, Winter Wheat Seedings, and Grain Stocks Report. State and national highlights of the report include:

ILLINOIS

Production of corn for grain totaled 1.95 billion bushels in 2010, five percent less than produced in 2009. The final yield was a disappointing 157 bushels per acre, 17 bushels below the previous year’s yield. There were 12.6 million acres planted to corn in Illinois in 2010 with 12.4 million harvested for grain. Planting got underway in the middle of April and progressed rapidly reaching 87 percent complete by May 2. Well above normal temperatures during most of June, July, and August pushed the crop to maturity near the record pace of 2007. By Sept. 5, seven percent of the crop was harvested, and by Oct. 3 harvest had reached 74 percent complete. Harvest was nearly complete by Oct.  25 at 97 percent.

The final yield for the 2010 soybean crop was a record 51.5 bushels per acre, 5.5 bushels above the 2009 yield. This year’s yield eclipses the previous record yield of 50 bushels per acre set in 2004. Production in 2010 reached 466 million bushels, up 8 percent from the 2009 production. Acres planted in 2010 were down 300 thousand from 2009 to 9.1 million acres. This year’s soybean harvest progress was one of the fastest on record.

The final 2010 yield for sorghum for grain was 96 bushels per acre, 14 bushels above the yield in 2009. Production, at 3.17 million bushels, was up seven percent from the previous year. Total planted and harvested for grain acres were 35 and 33 thousand, respectively, both down from the previous year.

Production of all hay in 2010 was 1.92 million tons, 4 percent less than in 2009. Alfalfa hay production was down 3 percent to 1.29 million tons while all other hay production decreased eight percent to 624 thousand tons. Yields averaged 3.8 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 2.4 tons per acre for all other hay. Alfalfa acreage cut for hay was 340 thousand in 2010, unchanged from 2009. Acreage cut for all other hay was 260 thousand, down 10 thousand from 2009.

An estimated 740 thousand acres of winter wheat were seeded in the fall of 2010, 124 percent more than in 2009. Seedings were aided by the early harvest of corn and soybeans which allowed producers adequate time for planting in the Fall of 2010.

UNITED STATES

Corn for grain production is estimated at 12.4 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the November 1 forecast and 5 percent below the record high production of 13.1 billion bushels set in 2009. U.S. grain yield for 2010 is estimated at 152.8 bushels per acre. This is down 1.5 bushels from the November forecast and 11.9 bushels below the record high yield of 164.7 bushels per acre set in 2009. Area harvested for grain is estimated at 81.4 million acres, up slightly from the November forecast and up two percent from 2009.

Soybean production in 2010 totaled 3.33 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the Nov. 1 forecast and down one percent from 2009. U.S. production is the second largest on record. The average yield per acre is estimated at 43.5 bushels, 0.4 bushel below the Nov. 1 forecast and 0.5 bushel below last year's record high yield. Harvested area is up slightly from 2009 to a record high 76.6 million acres.

Sorghum grain production in 2010 is estimated at 345 million bushels, up two percent from the Nov. 1 forecast but 10 percent below 2009. Planted area is estimated at 5.40 million acres, down 19 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain, at 4.81 million acres, is down 13 percent from 2009. Average grain yield, at 71.8 bushels per acre, is down 0.7 bushel from the previous forecast but up 2.4 bushels from last year.

All Hay: Production of dry hay for 2010 is estimated at 146 million tons, down 4 percent from the Oct. 1 forecast and down 1 percent from the 2009 total. Area harvested is at 59.9 million acres, up slightly from both the Oct. 1 forecast and from last year. The average yield, at 2.43 tons per acre, is down 0.12 ton from October and down 0.04 ton from the previous year.

Winter wheat seeded area for 2011 is expected to total 41.0 million acres, up 10 percent from 2010. Approximate class acreage breakdowns are: Hard Red Winter, 29.6 million; Soft Red Winter, 7.76 million; and White Winter, 3.66 million.

GRAIN STOCKS

Corn stocks in Illinois on Dec. 1, 2010 totaled 1.72 billion bushels, down 8 percent from a year earlier. On-farm stocks, at 980 million bushels, accounted for 57 percent of the total stocks. Off-farm stocks, at 741 million bushels, was up 9 percent from 2009. Early harvest and higher prices for corn gave farmers the incentive to move the corn to market faster than usual. This was true for all the grains and oilseeds this quarter.

Soybean stocks totaled 407 million bushels stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2010, up 10 percent from the previous year’s total. On farm stocks totaled 210 million bushels, 52 percent of the total stocks and 5 percent above December 1, 2009. Off-farm stocks, at 197 million bushels, were up 15 percent from a year earlier.

Wheat stocks in all positions totaled 44.5 million bushels on Dec. 1, 2010. Off-farm stocks, at 43.2 million bushels accounted for 97 percent of the state total. On-farm stocks totaled 1.3 million bushels, down 80 percent from a year earlier. Wheat production was down 64 percent in 2010 which supports this decline in on-farm stocks.

UNITED STATES

Corn stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2010 totaled 10.0 billion bushels, down 8 percent from Dec. 1, 2009. Of the total stocks, 6.30 billion bushels are stored on farms, down 15 percent from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 3.74 billion bushels, are up seven percent from a year ago. The September - November 2010 indicated disappearance is 4.11 billion bushels, compared with 3.86 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2010 totaled 2.28 billion bushels, down 3 percent from Dec. 1, 2009. Soybean stocks stored on farms totaled 1.09 billion bushels, down 11 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 1.19 billion bushels, are up seven percent from last December. Indicated disappearance for September - November 2010 totaled 1.20 billion bushels, up 4 percent from the same period a year earlier.

All wheat stored in all positions on December 1, 2010 totaled 1.93 billion bushels, up eight percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 550 million bushels, down two percent from last December. Off-farm stocks, at 1.38 billion bushels, are up 13 percent from a year ago. The September - November 2010 indicated disappearance is 522 million bushels, up 22 percent from the same period a year earlier.