This time, an upbeat forecast for corn, soybean crops

INDIANAPOLIS - What a difference a year can make.

Farmers rebounding from the ravaging drought of 2012 are projected to harvest a record amount of corn and a third-highest yield of soybeans nationwide, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Monday (Aug. 12). Indiana farmers are expected to bring in their second-highest bounty of corn.

"To say what a difference a year makes is a huge understatement. It's a big difference this year," said Jay Akridge, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Purdue Agriculture, at the Indiana State Fair, where a panel of agricultural experts analyzed the USDA's August crop production report, the first look at expected harvests for 2013. The panel was organized by Purdue Extension.

Akridge, who moderated the panel, noted in his opening remarks that the report "sets up potential for a huge crop." 

"It's good to have a crop to talk about this year," he said, smiling.

Purdue Extension corn specialist Bob Nielsen noted that last year's August report offered no such encouragement to farmers.

"As agronomists, we were hard-pressed to smile," he said.

That has changed this year.

The USDA projects a nationwide corn crop of 13.8 billion bushels on an average yield of 154.4 bushels per acre, up from last year's 10.8 billion and 123.4, respectively.

For soybeans, the USDA expects farmers to harvest 3.26 billion bushels on a yield of 42.6 per acre, compared with 3 billion bushels on 39.6 last year.

The drought reduced last year's corn harvest to its lowest level since 10 billion bushels in 2003, and the average bushels per acre was the lowest since 113.5 in 1995.

Indiana, which was among the first states in the country to emerge from the drought - some states farther west are still in it - is forecast to produce 979.4 million bushels of corn on yield of 166 bushels per acre, compared with 596.9 million on 99 last year. The production would be shy of a record of 980 million bushels set in 2007.

Indiana farmers are projected to bring in 261.5 million bushels of soybeans on an average yield of 50 per acre, compared with last year's 223.5 million on 43.5.

Writer: Keith Robinson, 765-494-2722, robins89@purdue.edu

Source: Jay Akridge, 765-494-8391, akridge@purdue.edu

Related website: Purdue University Agricultural Alumni Association

Note to editors: The panel discussion is continuing at this hour. An updated version of this report with more details will be available later this afternoon after the conclusion of the panel.

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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