Slow Harvest in Indiana, Mixed Yield Estimates
(Image Courtesy: Purdue Agricultural Communication)
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAs fall harvest rolls along across the Corn Belt, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated its predictions of the size of the nation’s corn and soybean crops. In Indiana, the data shows the state’s corn yield has improved, while soybeans dropped over the past month.
Based on conditions as of October 1, the corn crop in Indiana saw the statewide average yield climb one bushel to 162 bushels an acre from the September 1 forecast.
The Indiana soybean yield dropped one bushel from last month, measuring 48 bushels to the acre.
Nationally, USDA puts corn production at 13.8 billion bushels, down less than one percent from last month’s forecast. The ag department says based on crop conditions as of October 1, the nationwide corn yield is 168.4 bushels an acre, up slightly (0.2 bushels) from last month, but eight bushels fewer per acre than last year.
Total soybean production in the U.S. is estimated at 3.55 billion bushels, down 2 percent from the previous forecast and down 20 percent from last year. That figure is based on a national average yield for soybeans of 46.9 bushels to the acre, down one bushel from September’s forecast.
As of last Monday, 15 percent of Indiana corn had been harvested. The five-year-average for corn harvest at this time is 29 percent. USDA says 14 percent of soybeans are harvested in Indiana, 19 points behind the five-year average of 33 percent.
An updated USDA Crop Progress report comes out Monday afternoon.