McLean County Farm Bureau

USDA CROP REPORT SURPRISES TRADE

Corn futures prices tumbled Monday in the wake of USDA’s crop production report. The first survey-based forecast of the season pegs the national average corn yield at 169.5 bushels per acre, up 3.5 bushels from last month, with planted acres at 90 million. This represents just a 2 percent decline in corn acres despite historic planting delays caused by one of the wettest springs on record. “Corn production is forecast at 13.9 billion bushels, up 26 million from the July projection, as a decline in harvested acres is virtually offset by an increase in yield,” USDA noted in its report. (FarmWeekNow)