Crop Production – November 2014 – Colorado Highlights

Based on November 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 140.16 million bushels, up 8 percent from last year’s 129.69 million bushels, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. The 960,000 acres expected to be harvested for grain this year is down 30,000 acres from the 990,000 acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 146.0 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels per acre from the October 1 forecast and 15.0 bushels per acre above last year’s final yield. As of November 2, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 16 percent excellent. Corn harvested for grain was 61 percent complete, compared with 77 percent last year and the 5-year average of 72 percent.

Sorghum production in 2014 is forecast at 7.50 million bushels, up 30 percent from the 5.76 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 250,000 acres this year, up from the 240,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 30.0 bushels per acre, up 5.0 bushels per acre from the October 1 forecast and up 6.0 bushels per acre from last year. As of November 2, Colorado’s sorghum crop condition was rated 18 percent poor, 53 percent fair, 28 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Sorghum harvested for grain was estimated at 41 percent complete, compared with 56 percent last year and the 5-year average of 53 percent.

Sugarbeet production in Colorado is forecast at 917,000 tons, up 7 percent from the 861,000 tons produced in 2013. Growers expect to harvest 29,100 acres this year, compared with 25,700 a year ago. Yields are expected to average 31.5 tons per acre, down 1.0 ton per acre from the October 1 forecast and down from last year’s yield of 33.5 tons per acre. As of November 2, harvest of sugarbeets was estimated at 86 percent complete, compared with 87 percent last year and the 5-year average of 87 percent.

Fall potato growers in Colorado produced an estimated 23.7 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, a increase of 3.4 million hundredweight from last year’s crop. Fall potatoes produced in the San Luis Valley totaled 21.0 million hundredweight compared with 18.1 million hundredweight produced last year. Fall potatoes grown in all other areas in Colorado totaled 2.7 million hundredweight compared with 2.2 million hundredweight last year. Average yield at 397 hundredweight per acre increased 25 hundredweight per acre from the combined yield attained last year. The harvested area, estimated at 59,800 acres is up from the 54,600 acres harvested last year.

Colorado’s barley seeded area, at 57,000 acres, is down 6,000 acres from last year. Harvested area, at 54,000 acres, is down 4,000 acres from 2013. Barley yield, at 124.0 bushels per acre, is down 9.0 bushels per acre from last year. Barley production in 2014 is estimated at 6.70 million bushels, down 13 percent from the previous year.

Spring wheat seedings, at 9,000 acres, are down 1,000 acres from last year. Acreage harvested totaled 8,000 acres, down from 9,000 acres harvested last year. Spring wheat production is estimated at 512,000 bushels, down 31 percent from last year. Spring wheat yield, at 64.0 bushels per acre, is down 18.0 bushels per acre from last year.

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS

Corn area harvested for grain is forecast at 83.1 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast, but down 5 percent from 2013. At 14.4 billion bushels, corn production is forecast to be the highest production on record for the United States. The forecasted yield, at 173.4 bushels per acre, is also expected to be a new record high for the United States. Twenty-two States expect a record high corn yield for 2014. 

Sorghum production is forecast at 408 million bushels, up 1 percent from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 6.17 million acres, unchanged from October but down 5 percent from 2013. Based on November 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 66.1 bushels per acre, up 0.7 bushel from last month and up 6.5 bushels from last year.

Production of sugarbeets for the 2014 crop year is forecast at 31.4 million tons, down 2 percent from the previous forecast and down 4 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.15 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but down 1 percent from 2013. Expected yield is forecast at 27.4 tons per acre, a decrease of 1.0 ton from last year.

Production of fall potatoes for 2014 is forecast at 406 million cwt, up 3 percent from last year. Area harvested, at 926,200 acres, is slightly below the previous year. The average yield forecast, at 439 cwt per acre, is up 14 cwt from last year’s yield.

Barley harvested area was reduced from the Small Grains 2014 Summary in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. As a result of these changes and yield changes in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Utah, barley production in the United States is estimated at 177 million bushels, down 2 percent from the Small Grains 2014 Summary.

Other spring wheat harvested area was reduced from the Small Grains 2014 Summary in Montana and North Dakota. As a result of these changes and a yield change in Montana, other spring wheat production in the United States is estimated at 595 million bushels, down 1 percent from the Small Grains 2014 Summary.

For a full copy of the Crop Production report please visit www.nass.usda.gov.