Pro Farmer Estimates: Corn 164.1 bu./Acre; Soybeans 44.9 bu./Acre

August 20, 2010

By: Greg Vincent, AgWeb.com Editor

Excessively hot temperatures in much of the Midwest, and Iowa in particular, during the first two weeks of August is limiting the 2010 corn yield.

While heat indices reached into the 100 degree plus range in early August, and stayed warm throughout the nighttime hours, corn ears were not able to rest overnight. And that, what essentially translates to a lack of sleep for corn plants, has ear tip back and kernels are not filling out to the end of the ear.

The official Pro Farmer yield estimate for corn is 164.1 bu./acre nationally, and a range of 162.5 bu./acre to 165.7 bu./acre. That should amount to a total crop of 13.29 billion bu. with a range of 13.157 to 13.423 billion bu. The total crop estimates are figured using USDA’s harvestable acreage number in the August 12 Crop Production Report of 81.005 million acres.

By comparison, USDA’s August 1 yield estimates were 165.0 bu./acre, with a total crop prediction of 13.365 billion bu.

"This was the most mature crop we’ve probably ever tested on the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour," says Chip Flory, Pro Farmer editor and west tour director of the annual trip to sample actual field data from seven Midwestern states. "But there is not denying this a large crop. If we could have just gotten another ¼" on the grain length, that would have made a world of difference."

The Pro Farmer estimates have a margin of error of +/- 1%, but Flory believes there is little upside potential to this corn crop, because it is so far advanced.

While this crop looks to bring in the largest ever total production, there are questions about meeting the demand in the coming year, Flory says. USDA has projected usage for 2010-11 at 13.49 billion bu., leaving this year’s production some 200 million bu. short. With an already tight carryover anticipated for corn this year, ending stocks heading into next year’s harvest are expected to approach the 1 billion bu. mark. That’s the point where the trade begins to really worry about supply and demand balances.

"I don’t believe we’ll get below 1 billion bu. carryover. But will probably see some price rationing, and maybe we already are seeing it, if USDA’s projected yield drops any further."

Soybeans are expected to increase nearly a full bushel over last year’s final yield of 44.0 bu./acre. The 2010 Pro Farmer production estimates for soybeans is a yield of 44.9 bu./acre, with a range of 44.0 on the low end to a high-end yield of 45.8 bu./acre. If realized, this will produce a crop of 3.5 billion bu., with a range of 3.43 billion bu. to 3.57 billion. There is a margin of error in these numbers of +/- 2%.

USDA’s August 1 projection for soybean yield was 44.0 bu./acre for a total crop of 3.43 billion bu.

"I don’t believe you can argue that we have a very good bean crop," Flory says. "As far as the pod counts we looked at on the tour, we were looking at a mid-September type of crop, not a mid-August type. Last year, for example, we saw a lot of fields with a late flush of blooms on the tour and they produced some beans. This year, that late flush has already happened, so we were looking at the pods that will be there for harvest."