RICHMOND
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the September Crop Production report today, showing decreased yield forecasts for field crops.

“The Sept. 1 crop production report indicates a decrease in yields for most of the row crops when compared to 2017,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia State Statistician. “The corn crop is only crop that indicated a yield increase from last year.”

• Corn production in Virginia is forecast at 48.8 million bushels, unchanged from the August forecast and up 3 percent from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 148 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month and up 8.0 bushels from the 2017 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 330,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from 2017. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 14.8 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the August forecast and up 2 percent from 2017. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 181.3 bushels per acre, up 2.9 bushels from last month and up 4.7 bushels from 2017. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and down 1 percent from 2017.

• Soybean production for Virginia is forecast at 26.2 million bushels, unchanged from the August forecast and up 1 percent from 2017. Yield was estimated at 43 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month and down 1.0 bushels from a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 610,000 acres, up 20,000 acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.69 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the August forecast and up 7 percent from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 52.8 bushels per acre, up 1.2 bushels from last month and up 3.7 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 88.9 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and down 1 percent from 2017.

• Virginia cotton production is projected to be 220,000 bales, up 19 percent from the August forecast and up 15 percent from last year. Cotton yields are forecast to average 1,089 pounds per acre, up 32 pounds from last month but down 21 pounds per acre from the previous year. Producers expect to harvest 97,000 acres, up 13,000 acres from the August forecast and up 14,000 acres from 2017. U.S. cotton production was forecast at 19.7 million bales, up 2 percent from the August forecast and down 6 percent from 2017. Yields are forecast to average 895 pounds per acre, down 16 pounds from last month and down 10 pounds from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 10.6 million acres, up 4 percent from the August forecast and down 5 percent from the previous year.

• Peanut farmers in Virginia anticipate harvesting 98.4 million pounds for 2018, down 20 percent from last year. Acres expected to be harvested total 24,000 acres, down 3,000 from last year. Producers expect a yield of 4,100 pounds per acre, down 450 pounds from 2017.

• Virginia flue-cured tobacco production is forecast at 48.4 million pounds, down 4 percent from the August forecast and no change from 2017. Yield was projected at 2,200 pounds per acre, down 100 pounds from last month and not change from the 2017 crop. Harvested acreage was estimated at 22,000 acres, unchanged acres from last year’s crop. For the flue-cured producing states production is forecast at 415 million pounds, down 4 percent from the August forecast and down 10 percent from last year. Flue-cured growers plan to harvest 207,500 acres, down 1 percent from 2017. Yields were expected to average 1,998 pounds per acre, down 201 pounds from last year.

Production of Virginia dark fire-cured tobacco is forecast at 532,000 pounds down 8 percent from the previous year. Burley tobacco production is forecast at 1.80 million pounds down 18 percent from last year.

• Virginia potato production is forecast at 1.18 million hundredweight, down 1 percent from 2017. Yield is forecast at 240 hundredweight per acre and growers expect to harvest 4,900 acres.

“Thank you to all the farmers for taking the time to complete the September Agricultural Yield Survey,” Ellison said. “We appreciate their efforts during the busy growing season.”