CROP PRODUCTION – SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS:

Based on September 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 139.10 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 up 7 percent from the August 1 forecast and up 17 percent from last year’s 118.58-million-bushel crop. Planted area, estimated at 1.34 million acres, is up 90,000 acres from the June Acreage report but down 10,000 acres from 2022. Harvested area, forecast at 1.07 million acres, is up 70,000 acres from June and up 90,000 acres from last year. Average yield, forecast at 130.0 bushels per acre, is unchanged from the August 1 forecast but is up 9.0 bushels from last year.

As of September 3, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Corn in the dent stage was 42 percent complete, compared with 39 percent last year and the 5-year average of 41 percent.

Sorghum production in 2023 is forecast at 22.28 million bushels, up 5 percent from the August 1 forecast and 193 percent above the 7.60 million bushels produced a year earlier If realized, this would establish a record high sorghum production for the State. Planted area, estimated at 505,000 acres, is up 5,000 acres from the June Acreage report but down 40,000 acres from 2022. Harvested area, forecast at 405,000 acres, is up 5,000 acres from June and up 25,000 acres from last year. Average yield is forecast at 55.0 bushels per acre, 2.0 bushels above the August 1 forecast and 35.0 bushels above last year’s final yield. As of September 3, the sorghum crop condition was rated 5 percent poor, 12 percent fair, 82 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Sorghum headed was 95 percent complete, compared with 99 percent last year and the 5-year average of 95 percent.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 564,000 tons, down 9 percent from the August 1 forecast and down 4 percent from the 588,000 tons produced in 2022. Planted area, estimated at 22,500 acres, is up 500 acres from the June Acreage report but down 900 acres from 2022.

Harvested area, forecast at 20,600 acres, is down 400 acres from June but up 100 acres from last year. Yields are expected to average 27.4 tons per acre, down 2.2 tons from the August 1 forecast and down from 28.7 tons a year ago. As of September 3, the sugarbeet crop was rated 22 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 18 percent excellent.

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS

Corn production for grain is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up less than 1 percent from the previous forecast and up 10 percent from 2022. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 173.8 bushels per harvested acre, down 1.3 bushels from the previous forecast but up 0.5 bushel from last year. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data. Total planted area, at 94.9 million acres, is up 1 percent from the previous estimate and up 7 percent from the previous year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 87.1 million acres, up 1 percent from the previous forecast and up 10 percent from the previous year.

Sorghum production is forecast at 381 million bushels, down 3 percent from the previous estimate but up 103 percent from last year.

Acreage updates were made in several States following a thorough review of all available data. Planted area, at 7.18 million acres, is up 6 percent from previous estimate and up 14 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 6.26 million acres, up 5 percent from the previous forecast and up 37 percent from 2022. Based on September 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 60.9 bushels per acre, 19.8 bushels above the 2022 yield of 41.1 bushels per acre.

Production of sugarbeets for the 2023 crop year is forecast at 35.3 million tons, up 3 percent from last month and up 8 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.12 million acres up 1 percent from last month but down 2 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 31.5 tons per acre, up 0.6 ton from last month and up 2.9 tons from last year.