South Dakota Ag Connection - NASS Reports S.D. 2018 Annual Crop Production

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NASS Reports S.D. 2018 Annual Crop Production
South Dakota Ag Connection - 02/11/2019

Corn for grain production in South Dakota based on year-end surveys is estimated at 778 million bushels, up 6 percent from 2017, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yield of 160 bushels per acre is up 15 bushels from last year. Farmers harvested 4.86 million acres of corn for grain down 4 percent from 2017. Corn for silage production is 5.94 million tons, down 7 percent from 2017. Yield of 16.5 tons per acre is up 4.0 tons from last year. Farmers harvested 360,000 acres, down 29 percent from 2017. Total acreage planted to corn for all purposes is 5.30 million acres, down 7 percent from last year.

Soybean production for 2018 totaled 257 million bushels, up 6 percent from 2017 and a new record high. Yield, at 46.0 bushels per acre, is up 3.0 bushels from a year earlier. Area for harvest, at 5.58 million acres, is down 1 percent from 2017. Total acreage planted is 5.65 million acres, unchanged from last year and tied with 2017 as a record high.

Alfalfa hay production, at 3.76 million tons, is up 39 percent from a year earlier. The average yield, at 2.15 tons per acre, is up 0.40 ton per acre from 2017. Area harvested, at 1.75 million acres, is up 13 percent from 2017. Alfalfa haylage and greenchop at 450,000 tons, is up 137 percent from a year earlier and a new record high. Average yield, at 6.00 tons per acre, is up 2.20 tons per acre from 2017. Area harvested, at 75,000 acres, is up 50 percent from 2017 and a new record high. Seedings of alfalfa during 2018 totaled 170,000 acres, up 45,000 acres from the year earlier.

All other hay production, at 2.03 million tons, is up 7 percent from a year earlier. The average yield, at 1.35 tons per acre, is unchanged from last year. Area harvested, at 1.50 million acres, is up 7 percent from 2017. All other haylage and greenchop production, at 203,000 tons, is down 23 percent from a year earlier. Average yield, at 4.50 tons per acre, is down 0.30 ton per acre from last year. Area harvested, at 45,000 acres, is down 18 percent from 2017.

Sorghum for grain production in 2018 is estimated at 16.0 million bushels, up 38 percent from 2017. Yield, at 80 bushels per acre, is up 12 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 200,000 acres, is up 18 percent from 2017. Sorghum for silage production is 500,000 tons, up 23 percent from 2017. Yield of 12.5 tons per acre is up 1.5 tons from last year. Farmers harvested 40,000 acres, up 8 percent from 2017. Total acreage planted to sorghum for all purposes is 260,000 acres, down 4 percent from last year.

Oil sunflower production in 2018 is 888 million pounds, up slightly from last year. Yield, at 1,830 pounds per acre, is up 130 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 485,000 acres, is down 7 percent from 2017. Total acreage planted is 520,000 acres, down 4 percent from last year. Non-oil sunflower production of 87.8 million pounds is down 35 percent from last year. Yield, at 1,950 pounds per acre, is down 50 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 45,000 acres, is down 23,000 acres from 2017. Total acreage planted is 51,000 acres, down 38 percent from last year.

Proso millet production in 2018 is estimated at 1.44 million bushels, up 48 percent from last year's production. Yield, at 37 bushels per acre, is up 1 bushel from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 39,000 acres, is up 44 percent from 2017. Total acreage planted is 48,000 acres, down 9 percent from last year.

Dry edible pea production is estimated at record low 399,000 cwt, down 24 percent from 2017. Record yield is estimated at 2,100 pounds per acre, up 600 pounds from last year. Acres harvested are estimated at a record low 19,000, down 46 percent from a year ago. Total acreage planted is a record low 22,000 acres, down 42 percent from last year.

Flaxseed production is estimated at 45,000 bushels, down 31 percent from 2017. Yield per harvested acre is estimated at 15.0 bushels, up 2.0 bushels from last year. Acres harvested are estimated at a record low 3,000, down from 5,000 a year ago. Total acreage planted is a record low 4,000 acres, down 33 percent from last year.

Safflower production is estimated at 19.1 million pounds, up 31 percent from 2017. Yield per harvested acre is estimated at 1,100 pounds, up 310 pounds from last year. Acres harvested are estimated at 17,400, down 6 percent from a year ago. Total acreage planted is 18,500 acres, down 3,400 acres from last year.

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