USDA's November Crop Report indicates Iowa corn production for 2009 is a little smaller than was estimated last month. But this year's harvest will still be a record crop, says the government report released November 10. This fall's wet weather and delayed harvest has taken a toll -- although yields are still surprisingly good overall.

Based on conditions as of November 1, Iowa's 2009 corn yield is forecast to average 183 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from October 1. Production is forecast at 2.44 billion bushels for Iowa, up nearly 12% from last year. As of Nov. 1, Iowa farmers had harvested just 18% of the corn, well behind last year's 40% and the five-year average of 67%.

For soybeans in Iowa, the November 2009 yield forecast of 51 bushels per acre is down 1 bushel per acre from the October 1 forecast, but up 4.5 bushels per acre from 2008. If realized, Iowa soybean production would be 486 million bushels, up from nearly 450 million bushels last year. As of November 1, soybean harvest was 54% complete, well behind last year and 42% behind the five-year average of 96%.

U.S. corn yield highest ever, production second-highest

For the U.S., corn production is forecast at 12.9 billion bushels, down 1% from last month but 7% higher than 2008. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 162.9 bushels per acre, down 1.3 bushels from October but 9 bushels above last year. Despite the drop in yield from October, this November 2009 yield will be the highest on record if it is realized.

Total corn production for the U.S. will be second highest on record, only behind 2007. Within the Corn Belt, forecasted yields for 2009 in Minnesota and Wisconsin increased in the November report from the October report while Iowa, Illinois and Michigan yields decreased.  

The 2009 U.S. soybean crop is forecast at a record high 3.32 billion bushels, up 2% from the October forecast and up 12% from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 43.3 bushels per acre, up 0.9 bushel from last month and up 3.6 bushels from 2008.

Highest U.S. soybean yield on record is forecast

If realized, the 43.3 bushels per acre will be the highest U.S. soybean yield average on record. Compared with last month, soybean yields for 2009 based on November 1 conditions are forecast higher or unchanged for all states except Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi and Texas.

For Iowa, soybean production is estimated at 486 million bushels, compared to 449.6 million in 2008. Yield estimates are for an average of 51 bushels per acre in Iowa, nearly 1 bushel less than predicted in October, but 4.5 bushels higher than 2008. Meanwhile, the number of acres of soybeans harvested in Iowa is down 1.4% from last year.

USDA will issue its final estimates for the 2009 corn and soybean crops in January 2010.

"We're as uncertain about the size of this 2009 soybean crop as we have been for a soybean crop in several years," says Delbert Christensen, an Audubon area farmer who is president of the Iowa Soybean Association. "We hear wide variances in reports about yields this year, from very good to disappointing. With that kind of variance, the crop could end up higher or it could be lower than this November USDA estimate."

November 2009 Crop Production Summary (Iowa and United States)

Crop                           For Harvest                    Yield per acre                   Production

                                 2008           2009                2008          2009                      2008              2009         

                            Thousand       Thousand    Bushels      Bushels                Thousand     Thousand

                                 Acres              Acres                                                              Bushels           Bushels

Iowa

Corn for

   Grain                   12,800           13,350           171.0             183.0                 2,188,800       2,443,050

Soybeans               9,670              9,530             46.5                51.0                    449,655          486,030

United States

Corn for

   Grain            78,640           79,294           153.9              162.9               12,101,238    12,920,928

Soybeans             74,681           76,619              39.7                43.3                 2,967,007      3,319,270

Source: USDA