In this July 11, 2018, file photo, a field of corn grows in front of an old windmill in Pacific Junction, Iowa. The USDA reported an average yield of 181 bushels per acre. That’s down one bushel from last year. Farmers harvested 9.89 million acres of corn for grain, up 1% from 2019. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File )
While the markets may not have been in the farmers’ corner for most of the year and the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc, there was no question about the producers’ ability to produce in 2020.
And with commodity prices on the rise, farmers are ringing in the new year on a promising note.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported recently that corn-for-grain production in Nebraska, based on year-end surveys, is estimated at a record-high 1.79 billion bushels. That’s up slightly from 2019.
The USDA reported an average yield of 181 bushels per acre. That’s down one bushel from last year. Farmers harvested 9.89 million acres of corn for grain, up 1% from 2019.
Corn-for-silage production is 4.94 million tons, up 7% from last year. Silage yield of 19 tons per acre is down 4 tons from last year. Corn-for-silage harvested acreage of 260,000 acres is up 60,000 acres from last year.
Corn acreage planted for all purposes totaled 10.2 million acres, up 1% from 2019.
Nebraska’s second-largest crop, soybeans, for 2020 totaled 294 million bushels, up 4% from 2019.
Yield, at 57 bushels per acre, is down 1.5 bushels from a year earlier. Area for harvest, at 5.16 million acres, is up 7% from 2019. Planted acreage totaled 5.2 million acres, up 6% from the previous year.
While the COVID-19 pandemic, trade problems and low commodity prices hurt farmers last year, the situation is turning around as commodity prices are rising. Global supplies have tightened, and China is making large purchases as its economy rebounds from the pandemic.
Last month, the USDA reported that net farm income is forecast to increase from $36 billion to $119.6 billion in 2020.
According to the USDA, in inflation-adjusted 2020 dollars, net farm income is forecast to increase by $35 billion from 2019, rising for the fourth consecutive year.
“If realized, net farm income in 2020 in inflation-adjusted terms would be at its highest level since 2013, 32.0 percent above its 2000-19 average of $90.6 billion,” the USDA reported.
That is good news for an agricultural-based economy like Grand Island and Nebraska have.
The USDA said net cash farm income is forecast to increase from $24.7 billion to $134.1 billion in 2020. Inflation-adjusted net cash farm income is forecast to increase by $23.4 billion (21.1%) from 2019, which would put it at its highest level since 2014. That is 22.5% more than its 2000-19 average ($109.5 billion).
Direct government farm payments are forecast to have been $46.5 billion in 2020, an increase of $24 billion (107.1%). The expected growth is because of supplemental and ad hoc disaster assistance for COVID-19 relief, according to the USDA.
For other Nebraska crops in 2020:
— Sorghum for grain production in 2020 is estimated at 13.7 million bushels, up 13% from 2019. Yield, at 91 bushels per acre, is down 2 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 150,000 acres, is up 15%. Sorghum-for-silage production is 180,000 tons, down 70%. Silage yield of 12 tons per acre is up 2 tons. Sorghum-for-silage harvested acreage of 15,000 acres is down 45,000 acres. Sorghum acreage planted for all purposes is 195,000 acres, down 5,000 acres from 2019.
— Alfalfa hay production, at 3.27 million tons, was down 9% from a year earlier. The average yield, at 3.8 tons per acre, is unchanged from 2019. Area harvested, at 860,000 acres, was down 9%. Alfalfa haylage and greenchop production, at 231,000 tons, was up 13%. The average yield, at 6.6 tons per acre, was up 2.5 tons per acre. Area harvested, at 35,000 acres, was down 15,000 acres. Seedings of alfalfa during 2020 totaled 100,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from a year earlier.
— All other hay production, at 3.1 million tons, is up 25% from 2019. The average yield, at 1.65 tons per acre, is unchanged from last year. Area harvested, at 1.88 million acres, was up 25%. All other haylage and greenchop production, at 122,000 tons, was down 16%. The average yield, at 6.1 tons per acre, was up 0.3 tons per acre. Area harvested, at 20,000 acres, was down 5,000 acres from 2019.
— Proso millet production in 2020 is estimated at 3 million bushels, down 9% from the previous year’s production. Yield, at 24 bushels per acre, was down 7 bushels. Area harvested for grain, at 125,000 acres, was up 18%. The area planted, at 130,000 acres, was up 13%.
— Oil sunflower production in 2020 was 41 million pounds, up 21% from the previous year. Yield, at 1,050 pounds per acre, was down 250 pounds. Area harvested, at 39,000 acres, was up 50%. The area planted, at 40,000 acres, was up 43%. Non-oil sunflower production of 13.2 million pounds was up 20%. Yield, at 1,470 pounds per acre, was up 170 pounds. Area harvested, at 9,000 acres, was up 500 acres. The area planted, at 10,000 acres, was up 11%.
— Sugarbeet production is estimated at 1.42 million tons, up 33% from 2019. Yield is estimated at 31 tons per acre, up 5.6 tons. Acres harvested are estimated at 45,700 acres, up 9%. The area planted, at 46,200 acres, was up 2,200 acres.
— Dry edible bean production of 3.61 million cwt was up 92% from a year earlier. Yield, at 2,270 pounds per acre, was up 330 pounds. Area harvested, at 159,000 acres, was up 64%. The area planted, at 165,000 acres, was up 37%.
— Dry edible pea production is estimated at 462,000 cwt, down 28% from 2019. Yield is estimated at 1,400 pounds per acre, down 900 pounds. Acres harvested are estimated at 33,000, up 18%. Total acreage planted was 36,000 acres, up 16%.
— Potato production was 9.31 million cwt, down 3% from 2019. The record yield, at 495 cwt per acre, was up 20 cwt. Area harvested, at 18,800 acres, was down 1,400 acres. The area planted, at 19,000 acres, was down 1,500 acres.
January 20, 2021 at 09:00PM
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Record corn crop, rising commodity prices usher in promising new year for farmers - Grand Island Independent
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