USDA CROP PRODUCTION – AUGUST 2021–

COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS:

Based on August 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 145.60 million bushels, according to the August 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is up 18 percent from last year’s 122.96 million bushels. The 1.12 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year is unchanged from the June estimate and up 60,000 acres from the acres harvested a year ago. Average yield is expected to increase 14.0 bushels per acre from last year to 130.0 bushels per acre. As of August 1, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. Corn silking was 86 percent complete, compared with 82 percent last year and the 5-year average of 75 percent.

Sorghum production in 2021 is forecast at 12.05 million bushels, up 136 percent from the 5.10 million bushels harvested a year earlier.  Growers expect to harvest 365,000 acres this year, up from the 255,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 33.0 bushels per acre, 13.0 bushels per acre above last year’s final yield. As of August 1, the sorghum crop condition was rated 2 percent poor, 17 percent fair, 71 percent good, and 10 percent excellent. Sorghum headed was 48 percent complete, compared with 25 percent last year and the 5-year average of 36 percent.

Barley production is forecast at 5.18 million bushels, down 7 percent from the July 1 forecast and down 21 percent from last year’s crop. If realized, this would be the lowest barley production since 4.83 million bushels were produced in 2006. Area for harvest in 2021, at 45,000 acres, is unchanged from the acres harvested last year. Barley yield is forecast at 115.0 bushels per acre, down 8.0 bushels per acre from the July 1 forecast and 30.0 bushels per acre below last year. If realized, this would be the lowest yield since 115.0 bushels per acre in 2006. As of August 1, the barley crop condition was rated 5 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Barley harvest was 2 percent complete, compared with 2 percent last year and the 5-year average of 5 percent.

Winter wheat production is forecast at 72.15 million bushels, down 5 percent from the July 1 forecast but up 76 percent from the 41.04 million bushels produced last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 1.85 million acres, 330,000 acres more than the 1.52 million acres harvested in 2020. As of August 1, the average yield is forecast at 39.0 bushels per acre, down 2.0 bushels per acre from the July 1 forecast but 12.0 bushels per acre above last year’s final yield.

Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 730,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, up 30,000 acres from 2020. They also expect to harvest 680,000 acres of other hay in 2021, unchanged from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 2.92 million tons, up 23 percent from the 2.38 million tons produced in 2020. If realized, this would be the highest alfalfa hay production since 3.32 million tons were produced in 2009. Other hay production is forecast at 952,000 tons, up 4 percent from the 918,000 tons produced a year ago. Yields are expected to average 4.00 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.40 tons per acre for other hay, compared to last year’s yields of 3.40 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.35 tons per acre for other hay.

Dry bean production for 2021 is forecast at 582,000 hundredweight, down 46 percent from the 1.07 million hundredweight produced a year earlier. If realized, this would be the lowest dry bean production since 540,000 hundredweight were produced in 2013. Yields are expected to average 1,940 pounds per acre, down from 2,060 pounds per acre last year. Growers expect to harvest 30,000 acres this year, down 22,000 acres from 52,000 acres last year. If realized, this would be the lowest dry bean harvested acreage since 28,000 acres were harvested in 1915. As of August 1, 75 percent of the dry bean crop was blooming, compared with 58 percent last year and the five year average of 66 percent. The dry bean crop was rated 13 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 782,000 tons, up 5 percent from the 742,000 tons produced in 2020. Growers expect to harvest 24,600 acres this year compared with 23,700 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 31.8 tons per acre, up from 31.3 tons per acre a year ago. As of August 1, the sugarbeet crop was rated 28 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.

Colorado peach production for 2021 is forecast at 8,500 tons, up 99 percent from last year’s production of 4,280 tons, when a severe freeze in the western slope growing region severely damaged the crop.