Nebraska Crop Production Report for October 2023

Based on Oct. 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2023 corn production is forecast at 1.67 billion bushels, up 15% from last year's production, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.59 million acres, is up 9% from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 174 bushels per acre, up 9 bushels from last year.

Sorghum for grain is forecast at 17.4 million bushels, up 153% from last year. Area for harvest, at 220,000 acres, is up 76% from 2022. Yield is forecast at 79 bushels per acre, up 24 bushels from last year.

Soybean production is forecast at 281 million bushels, up 1% from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.20 million acres, is down 8% from 2022. Yield is forecast at 54 bushels per acre, up 5.0 bushels from last year.

Dry edible bean production is forecast at 2.23 million cwt, down 10% from 2022. Area for harvest, at 93,000 acres, is down 14% from last year. Yield is estimated at 2,400 pounds, up 100 pounds per acre from last year.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.31 million tons, up 36% from 2022. Area for harvest, at 46,000 acres, is up 16% from last year. Yield is estimated at 28.4 tons per acre, up 4.2 tons per acre from a year ago.

All sunflower production is forecast at 36.0 million pounds, down 23% from last year. Acreage for harvest, at 37,500 acres, is down 14,500 acres from 2022. Yield is forecast at 960 pounds per acre, up 59 pounds per acre from a year ago. Of the acres for harvest, non-oil sunflowers account for 7,500 acres and oil sunflowers account for 30,000 acres.

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.04 million tons, is up 24% from last year. Area for harvest, at 760,000 acres, is down 4% from a year ago. Yield of 4.00 tons per acre is up 0.90 ton per acre from 2022. All other hay production, at 3.20 million tons, is up 69% from last year. Area for harvest, at 1.60 million acres, is up 19% from a year ago. Yield of 2.00 tons per acre is up 0.60 ton from 2022.