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Record Ohio corn crop expected





REYNOLDSBURG – Ohio farmers are on track to produce their largest ever corn crop, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Based on conditions as of August 1, Ohio’s corn crop is estimated at 540.5 million bushels. Growers expect to harvest 3.78 million acres, 820,000 more acres than last year.

Average yields for corn are forecast to drop this year. The estimate of 143 bushels per acre is down 16 bushels from last year’s record. Soybean yields are also forecasted to drop from last year. This year’s projected yield is 44 bushels per acre, down three bushels from 2006. The total soybean harvest is projected to be 175.1 million bushels, down 19 percent from last year. Harvested acreage totals 3.98 million acres, down 640,000 acres or about 14 percent.

High corn prices, fueled by demand for ethanol, prompted many farmers to increase corn production this year. Nationally, corn production is forecast at 13.1 billion bushels, up 24 percent from last year and 17 percent above 2005. Yields are expected to average 152.8 bushels per acre, up 3.7 bushels from last year. If realized, this will be the second highest yield on record for corn, after the 160.4 bushel yield in 2004.


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