

Wisconsin Ag News Headlines Crop Forecast: WI Corn, Soybeans Expected to Set Records

Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/13/2020



It's going to be another big year for Wisconsin crop producers. According to the USDA's latest crop production summary, farmers in the Badger State are expected to harvest about 525 million bushels of corn this fall with yields averaging 181 bushels per acre. If realized, it would be the highest yield on record, surpassing the 178 bushels farmers averaged per acre in 2016. Corn acreage is estimated at 4.0 million acres, of which 2.9 million of the acres will be harvested for grain.



The report further noted that soybean production in Wisconsin will likely reach an all-time high of 110 million bushels. The August 1 forecast yield is 54 bushels per acre, which would be 7.0 bushels above last year; and would break the previous record for yield set back in 2016. Planted acreage for beans is also estimated to be a record 2.03 million acres in Wisconsin this year.



Winter wheat production is forecast at 8.52 million bushels, down 1.08 million bushels from 2019. Yields are expected to average 71.0 bushels per acre, up 1.0 bushel from the July forecast and up 7.0 bushels from last year. An estimated 120,000 acres will be harvested for grain.



Farms are also growing more oats this year, at 7.38 million bushels. This is up 895,000 bushels from 2019. The yield is forecast at 59.0 bushels per acre, down 7.0 bushels from July, but up 5.0 bushels from last year. An estimated 125,000 acres will be harvested for grain.



Wisconsin hay yield for alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures is forecast at 2.60 tons per acre, with a total production of 1.92 million tons, down 188,000 tons from 2019. The forecasted yield for other hay is 2.10 tons per acre, with a production of 693,000 tons. The forecasts in this report are based on August 1 conditions and do not reflect weather effects since that time. The next crop production forecasts, based on conditions as of September 1, will be released on September 11.



Nationally, corn production is forecast at 15.3 billion bushels, up 12 percent from last year. Yields are expected to average a record 181.8 bushels per acre. U.S. soybeans are expected to reach 4.42 billion bushels this year, up 25 percent from 2019; with yields expected to average a record 53.3 bushels per acre, up 5.9 bushel from last year.





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