Based on Oct. 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2021 corn production is forecast at a record 1.82 billion bushels, up 2% from last year's production, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.6 million acres, is down 3% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 190 bushels per acre, up 10 bushels from last year.

Sorghum for grain is forecast at 21.5 million bushels, up 57% from last year. Area for harvest, at 265,000 acres, is up 77% from 2020. Yield is forecast at 81 bushels per acre, down 10 bushels from last year.

Soybean production is forecast at a record 339 million bushels, up 13% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.55 million acres, is up 8% from 2020. Yield is forecast at a record 61 bushels per acre, up 3 bushels from last year.

Downturn for other crops

Dry edible bean production is forecast at 2.79 million cwt, down 23% from 2020. Area for harvest, at 108,000 acres, is down 32% from last year. Yield is estimated at 2,580 pounds, up 310 pounds per acre from last year.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.3 million tons, down 9% from 2020. Area for harvest, at 43,600 acres, is down 5% from last year. Yield is estimated at 29.7 tons per acre, down 1.3 tons per acre from a year ago.

All sunflower production is forecast at 26.9 million pounds, down 50% from last year. Acreage for harvest, at 39,000 acres, is down 9,000 acres from 2020. Yield is forecast at 688 pounds per acre, down 441 pounds per acre from a year ago. Of the acres for harvest, non-oil sunflowers account for 6,000 acres, and oil sunflowers account for 33,000 acres.

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.74 million tons, is up 15% from last year. Area for harvest, at 960,000 acres, is up 12% from a year ago. Yield of 3.9 tons per acre is up 0.10 ton per acre from 2020. 

All other hay production, at 2.48 million tons, is down 20% from last year. Area for harvest, at 1.55 million acres, is down 18% from a year ago. Yield of 1.6 tons per acre is down 0.05 ton from 2020.

Source: UNL CropWatch, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the sources. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.