CROP PRODUCTION – SEPTEMBER 2016 – COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS

Based on September 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 154.00 million bushels, according to the September 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is unchanged from the August 1 forecast but up 14 percent from the 134.90 million bushels produced last year. The 1.10 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are unchanged from the August 1 forecast but 150,000 acres above the 950,000 acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 140.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the August 1 forecast but 2.0 bushels below last year’s final yield. As of August 28, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 14 percent excellent. Corn in the dent stage was 45 percent complete, compared with 52 percent last year and the 5-year average of 32 percent. 

Sorghum production in 2016 is forecast at 15.64 million bushels, down 2 percent from the August 1 forecast and down 29 percent from the 22.00 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 340,000 acres this year, unchanged from the August 1 forecast but down from the 400,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 46.0 bushels per acre, down 1.0 bushel from the August 1 forecast and down 9.0 bushels from last year. As of August 28, Colorado’s sorghum crop condition was rated 5 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Sorghum mature was 1 percent complete, compared with 2 percent last year and the 5-year average of 4 percent. 

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 952,000 tons, down 1 percent from the 958,000 tons produced in 2015. Growers expect to harvest 27,500 acres this year compared with 27,300 a year ago. Yields are expected to average 34.6 tons per acre, unchanged from the August 1 forecast but down from last year’s yield of 35.1 tons per acre. As of August 28, Colorado’s sugarbeet crop condition was rated 3 percent poor, 11 percent fair, 70 percent good, and 16 percent excellent. 

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS 

Corn production is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up 11 percent from last year but down less than one percent from the August forecast. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 174.4 bushels per acre, down 0.7 bushel from the August forecast but up 6 bushels from 2015. If realized, this will be the highest yield and production on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 86.6 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast, but up 7 percent from 2015. 

Sorghum production is forecast at 488 million bushels, up 3 percent from last month but down 18 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 6.46 million acres, unchanged from August 1 but down 18 percent from 2015. Based on September 1 conditions, yield is forecast at a 75.7 bushels per acre, up 2.2 bushels from last month but down 0.3 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the second highest yield on record for the United States. A record high yield is expected in Kansas. 

Production of sugarbeets for the 2016 crop year is forecast at 35.8 million tons, down 1 percent from the previous forecast but up 1 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.14 million acres, down slightly from the previous forecast and last year. Expected yield is forecast at 31.3 tons per acre, a decrease of 0.1 tons from the previous forecast but an increase of 0.4 tons from last year. 

For a full copy of the Crop Production report please visit www.nass.usda.gov.