U.S. corn growers remain on track for a record high 14.0 billion bushel production year, according to the Crop Production report, released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In addition to corn numbers, the report also included updated forecasts for U.S. citrus production, and major field crops, such as soybeans and cotton.

Based on administrative data, NASS revised the acreage planted to corn this season to 95.3 million acres, down 2 percent from the previous estimate. Despite the decrease, however, production forecast remained high due to high forecasted yields. This season’s yields are expected to average 160.4 bushels per acre, with corn growers in 18 states forecast to reach record yields this year. The weather also remains good for harvest so far this year, allowing growers to harvest 73 percent of the corn crop by November 3, which is 2 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average harvest rate.

NASS also reduced the planted area for soybeans to 76.5 million acres, down 1 percent from the previous forecast. Just as with corn, however, favorable weather conditions account for higher pod counts compared with the 2012 yield. Soybean yields are expected to average 43.0 bushels per acre, with the final production forecast at 3.26 billion bushels. If realized, this will be the third largest production year on record.
U.S. cotton growers are forecast to produce 13.1 million 480-pound bales this year. This forecast is an increase of 2 percent from the September report, but is down 24 percent from last year’s production. Cotton yield is expected to average 808 pounds per harvested acre, up 79 pound from 2012.

On the citrus front, U.S. all orange production for the 2013-2014 seasons is forecast at 7.96 million tons, down 5 percent from the previous season’s final utilization. Grapefruit growers are forecast to produce 1.13 million tons this year, down 5 percent from last season. In contrast, tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast to increase 6 percent from last season’s production to 726,000 tons in 2013-2014 growing season.

NASS interviewed approximately 10,000 producers across the country in preparation for this report. In addition to farmer interviews, NASS also used its national and state level objective yield measurements to determine accurate yield and production forecasts.

The Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.