Indiana producers saw lower production in both soybeans and corn this year, due to poor weather in June and July, which negatively affected potential yields, according to Greg Matli, State Statistician, USDA, NASS, Great Lakes Region. “While there were some excellent corn yields in the southwest, much of Northern Indiana had poor yields due to flooding and fertilizer loss from the heavy spring rains,” stated Matli.
Indiana corn production in 2015 totaled 822 million bushels, 24 percent below last year’s total of 1.08 billion bushels. Corn acreage harvested for grain totaled 5.48 million, down 5 percent from 2014. The average yield of 150 bushels per acre was 38 bushels below last year’s record yield. “The lack of rain towards the end of the season caused the crop to not finish as well as it should have,” noted Matli.
Indiana’s soybean production totaled 275 million bushels, down 9 percent from last year’s 301.7 million bushels. Harvested acreage was estimated at 5.50 million, up 1 percent from last year’s 5.44 million acres. The average yield of 50.0 bushels per acre was 5.5 bushels below the previous year’s record yield of 55.5.
Hay production (all types), at 1.66 million tons in 2015, was down 15 percent from the previous year.
Spearmint production in Indiana was 189,000 pounds, with average yields of 54 pounds per acre. Peppermint production was 400,000 pounds, yields averaged 40 pounds per acre.
Nationally, corn for grain production is estimated at 13.6 billion bushels, down slightly from the November forecast and down 4 percent from the 2014 estimate. The average yield in the United States is estimated at 168.4 bushels per acre. This is down 0.9 bushel from the November forecast and 2.6 bushels below the 2014 average yield of 171.0 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain is estimated at 80.7 million acres, up slightly from the November forecast but down 3 percent from the 2014 acreage.
National soybean production in 2015 totaled a record 3.93 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the November forecast but up slightly from 2014. The average yield per acre is estimated at a record high 48.0 bushels, 0.3 bushel below the November forecast but 0.5 bushel above the 2014 yield. Harvested area is down less than 1 percent from last year’s record acreage to 81.8 million acres.
