Rainfall throughout August improved soil moisture levels and high humidity allowed crops to recover, giving the September 1 Crop Forecast a bump in yields for most crops.  Marlo D. Johnson, Director of the USDA, NASS, Great Lakes Regional Office, outlined a few highlights of the crop report:

The average corn yield in Michigan is expected to be 157 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from 2015, but up 5 bushels from the August 1 forecast. 

For soybeans, a yield of 47 bushels per acre is expected, down 2 bushels from last year’s record high, but a 2 bushel increase from last month’s estimate. 

August weather improves Michigan’s USDA Crop Forecast

Sugarbeet producers expect a yield of 31.0 tons per acre, unchanged from last month, but down 0.7 tons per acre from 2014. 

Nationally, corn production is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up 11% from last year but down less than 1% from the August forecast. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 174.4 bushels per acre, down 0.7 bushel from the August forecast but up 6 bushels from 2015. If realized, this will be the highest yield and production on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 86.6 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast but up 7% from 2015. 

U.S. soybean production is forecast at a record 4.20 billion bushels, up 3% from August and up 7% from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average a record 50.6 bushels per acre, up 1.7 bushels from last month and up 2.6 bushels from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at a record 83.0 million acres, unchanged from August but up 1% from last year.

National production of sugarbeets for the 2016 crop year in the ten major producing states is forecast at 35.8 million tons, down 1% from the previous forecast but up 1% from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.14 million acres, down slightly from the previous forecast and last year. Expected yield is forecast at 31.3 tons per acre, a decrease of 0.1 tons from the previous forecast, but an increase of 0.4 tons from last year.