Record Corn and Soybean Crop Expected for South Dakota

A record corn crop is forecast for South Dakota.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, South Dakota's 2018 corn harvest is forecast at a record high 839 million bushels, based on September 1 conditions. That's up 14 percent from last year's production.

Acreage harvested for grain is estimated at 4.85 million acres, down 5 percent from a year ago. Average yield is forecast at a record high 173 bushels of per acre, up 28 bushels from last year.

South Dakota farmers also are expected to harvest a record soybean crop.

Soybean production is forecast at a record high 277 million bushels, up 15 percent from last year. Acres for harvest is forecast at 5.66 million acres, up 1 percent from 2017. Yield is forecast at 49 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from last year.

Harvesting of soybeans is underway in the state with about 1 percent of the crop already in the bin.

Source: USDA, Associated Press