Corn crop projected to be third largest

JOHNSTON — Despite flooding and record breaking heat, U.S. corn farmers are still projected to produce the third largest corn crop on record, according to a report released last week by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  

Total U.S. corn production is predicted at 12.5 billion bushels, the third largest crop in history. U.S. yields are expected to average 148.1. The USDA projects total U.S. corn supply at 13.4 billion bushels.

Iowa retains its position as the top corn-producing state with an expected 2.29 billion bushel crop. The average yield in Iowa was pegged at 167 bushels an acre, up 2 bushels an acre from 2010, but down 10 bushels per acre from the August USDA report.

“From flooding to record setting heat, this was a difficult growing year for the U.S. corn crop,” said Deb Keller, a farmer from Clarion and chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. “Even with the difficult weather, farmers did what they could to produce an excellent corn crop. And it is important to remember that this is just an estimate, numbers won’t be final until the entire crop is harvested.”

Just 10 years ago, farmers experienced a yield of 138 bushels per acre and 20 years ago the yield was 109 bushels per acre.  

“We still had a lot of corn acres planted,” said Keller. “And that has helped the 2011 crop remain the third-largest on record.”