Wisconsin Ag Connection - USDA Confirms New Record for Soybean Acreage in Wisconsin

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USDA Confirms New Record for Soybean Acreage in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 01/15/2018

As expected, Wisconsin soybean growers broke new records in 2017 for the number of acres planted and harvested--though production and yields did not exceed 2016 levels. The USDA's Crop Production Summary report on Friday showed that 101 million bushels of soybean were harvested in the Badger State. That was up 2.14 million bushels from the November 1 forecast, but six percent below the 2016 record harvest. Growers averaged 47 bushels per acre, which was eight bushels below the previous year's yield. The agency says soybeans were planted on a record 2.15 million acres of farmland, and harvested on 2.14 million.

Corn for grain production in Wisconsin during the 2017 growing season is estimated at 510 million bushels, up three percent from the November summary, but 11 percent lower than the previous year. Wisconsin's corn for grain yield was about 174 bushels per acre, six bushels above the previous estimate. About 2.93 million acres of corn was harvested, down 20,000 acres from the November forecast and 290,000 acres below 2016. Corn planted for all purposes totaled 3.90 million acres, a drop of 150,000 below the past growing season.

Corn for silage production is estimated at 16.7 million tons, up one percent from 2016. The silage yield estimate of 19 tons per acre is two tons lower for the year. Producers harvested 880,000 acres of corn for silage in 2017, an increase of 90,000 acres from the year earlier.

All hay production was about 3.48 million tons, down 11 percent from 3.93 million tons a year earlier. Producers averaged 2.78 tons per acre, down from 2.95 tons per acre harvested last year. All hay harvested acres are estimated at 1.25 million acres, down 80,000 acres from 2016.

Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures production was 2.58 million tons, down 19 percent from 3.20 million tons in 2016. Producers averaged 3.00 tons per acre, down from 3.20 tons per acre in 2016. Harvested acres, at 860,000, were down 140,000 acres from 2016. Wisconsin producers seeded 300,000 acres of new seedings of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures in 2017, down 20,000 from the previous year. Other hay production is estimated at 897,000 tons, 24 percent above 2016. Producers averaged 2.30 tons per acre, up from 2.20 tons per acre in 2016. Harvested acres of other hay, at 390,000, were up 60,000 acres from the previous year.

Potato production was 29.1 million per hundredweight, up five percent from 2016. Yield is estimated at 435 cwt per acre, unchanged from last year. Planted and harvested acres are estimated at 68,000 acres and 67,000 acres, respectively.

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