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Wisconsin should exceed the national average corn yield, which is estimated to be lower than in 2021.

September 20, 2022

3 Min Read
Rows of corn
RECORD YIELD: A nearly perfect growing season in 2022 is expected to lead to an average corn yield of 183 bushels per acre in the Dairy State. Farm Progress

Nearly ideal weather this growing season across much of the Dairy State is expected to lead to Wisconsin setting a corn yield record of 183 bushels per acre in 2022, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Wisconsin’s previous yield record of 180 bushels per acre was set last year, according to Greg Bussler, NASS state statistician.

Total corn production in Wisconsin this year is projected at 540 million bushels. That’s down 1% from last year.

The average U.S. corn yield is predicted at 172.5 bushels per acre, down 2.9 bushels from August’s forecast and down 4.5 bushels from last year. In addition to Wisconsin, NASS forecasts record yields in California and Virginia.

Dry weather in the western Corn Belt, including Iowa and Nebraska, will lower corn production to just below 14.1 billion bushels, or 1 billion bushels less than last year.

There are 88.6 million acres planted to corn across the U.S., which is down 5% from 2021. The area to be harvested for grain is forecast at 80.8 million acres, down 1% from August and 5% less than was harvested last year. As of Aug. 28, 54% of this year’s corn crop was reported in good or excellent condition, 6 percentage points below the same time last year.

Yields down from last year

Corn and soybean yields are down from 2021 across much of the country, according to the Crop Production report issued Sept. 12 by USDA NASS. Corn production nationwide is down 8% from last year. Soybean growers are expected to decrease their production 1% from 2021. The total national soybean yield is forecast at 4.38 billion bushels.

Soybean yields will be excellent in Wisconsin this year, but not record-breaking. The projected yield average in 2022 is 53 bushels per acre – 2 bushels shy of the record yield of 55 bushels per acre set in 2021 and 2018. Wisconsin is expected to produce 113 million bushels of soybeans in 2022, which is 1% less than 2021.

Because of the completeness of the data, corn and soybean acreage were reviewed for the report a month earlier than usual. As a result, the area planted to corn is estimated at 88.6 million acres, down 1% from the previous estimate; the area planted to soybeans is estimated at 87.5 million acres, down 1% from the previous estimate and up less than 1% from last year.

The area for soybean harvest in the U.S. is forecast at 86.6 million acres, down 1% from last month but less than 1% more than was harvested last year. Soybean yields are expected to average 50.5 bushels per acre, down 1.4 bushels from August’s forecast and down 0.9 bushel from 2021. If realized, the forecast yields in Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi will be record high.

NASS surveyed more than 7,000 producers across the country and conducted objective yield surveys for corn and soybeans in preparation for this report.The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at nass.usda.gov. Look under Publications.

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