With farmers eyeing the new growing season, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service looks back on the 2020 season with its annual crop production summary.

Corn, soybeans and sorghum

Corn for grain production in Nebraska based on year-end surveys is estimated at a record-high 1.79 billion bushels, up slightly from 2019, according to NASS. Yields of 181 bushels per acre are down 1 bushel from 2019. Farmers harvested 9.89 million acres of corn for grain, up 1% from 2019. 

Corn for silage production is at 4.94 million tons, up 7% from a year earlier. Silage yield of 19 tons per acre is down 4 tons from 2019. Corn for silage harvested acreage of 260,000 acres is up 60,000 acres from 2019. Corn acreage planted for all purposes is at 10.2 million acres, up 1% from 2019.

Soybean production for 2020 totaled 294 million bushels, up 4% from 2019. Yield, at 57 bushels per acre, is down 1.5 bushels from a year earlier. Area for harvest, at 5.16 million acres, is up 7% from 2019. Planted acreage totaled 5.2 million acres, up 6% from 2019.

Sorghum for grain production in 2020 is estimated at 13.7 million bushels, up 13% from 2019. Yield, at 91 bushels per acre, is down 2 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 150,000 acres, is up 15% from 2019. 

Sorghum for silage production is at 180,000 tons, down 70% from 2019. Silage yield of 12 tons per acre is up 2 tons from the previous year. Sorghum for silage harvested acreage of 15,000 acres is down 45,000 acres from 2019. Sorghum acreage planted for all purposes is 195,000 acres, down 5,000 acres from 2019.

Hay, forages and millet

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.27 million tons, is down 9% from a year earlier. The average yield, at 3.8 tons per acre, is unchanged from 2019. Area harvested, at 860,000 acres, is down 9% from 2019. 

Alfalfa haylage and greenchop production, at 231,000 tons, is up 13% from a year earlier. Average yield, at 6.6 tons per acre, is up 2.5 tons per acre from 2019. Area harvested, at 35,000 acres, is down 15,000 acres from 2019. 

Seedings of alfalfa during 2020 totaled 100,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from a year earlier.

All other hay production, at 3.1 million tons, is up 25% from 2019. The average yield, at 1.65 tons per acre, is unchanged from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 1.88 million acres, is up 25% from 2019. 

All other haylage and greenchop production, at 122,000 tons, is down 16% from 2019. Average yield, at 6.1 tons per acre, is up 0.3 ton per acre from 2019. Area harvested, at 20,000 acres, is down 5,000 acres from a year earlier.

Proso millet production in 2020 is estimated at 3 million bushels, down 9% from the previous year's production. Yield, at 24 bushels per acre, is down 7 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 125,000 acres, is up 18% from 2019. Area planted, at 130,000 acres, is up 13% from a year earlier.

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