Based on August 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 142.78 million bushels, according to the August 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is down 4 percent from last year’s 148.35 million bushels. The 1.21 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year is unchanged from the June estimate and up 60,000 acres from the acres harvested a year ago. Average yield is expected to decrease 11.0 bushels per acre from last year to 118.0 bushels per acre. As of July 31, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 7 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 53 percent fair, 18 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Corn silking was 51 percent complete, compared with 81 percent last year and the 5-year average of 74 percent.

Sorghum production in 2022 is forecast at 12.32 million bushels, down 17 percent from the 14.80 million bushels harvested a year earlier. Growers expect to harvest 385,000 acres this year, down from the 400,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at

32.0 bushels per acre, 5.0 bushels per acre below last year’s final yield. As of July 31, the sorghum crop condition was rated 5 percent poor, 64 percent fair, 26 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Sorghum headed was 27 percent complete, compared with 43 percent last year and the 5-year average of 34 percent.

Barley production is forecast at 7.62 million bushels, down 7 percent from the July 1 forecast but up 46 percent from last year’s crop. Area for harvest in 2022, at 60,000 acres, is up 13,000 acres from the 47,000 acres harvested last year. Barley yield is forecast at 127.0 bushels per acre, down 10.0 bushels per acre from the July 1 forecast but 16.0 bushels per acre above last year. As of July 31, the barley crop condition was rated 5 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 23 percent excellent. Barley turning color was 59 percent complete, compared with 69 percent last year and the 5-year average of 77 percent.

Winter wheat production is forecast at 42.90 million bushels, down 4 percent from the July 1 forecast and down 38 percent from the

69.56 million bushels produced last year. Area for harvest is expected to total 1.65 million acres, 230,000 acres less than the 1.88 million acres harvested in 2021. As of August 1, the average yield is forecast at 26.0 bushels per acre, down 1.0 bushel per acre from the July 1 forecast and 11.0 bushels per acre below last year’s final yield.

Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 690,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, down 90,000 acres from 2021. They also expect to harvest 650,000 acres of other hay in 2021, down 50,000 acres from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 2.00 million tons, down 36 percent from the 3.12 million tons produced in 2021. Other hay production is forecast at 1.11 million tons, down 19 percent from the 1.37 million tons produced a year ago. Yields are expected to average 2.90 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.70 tons per acre for other hay, compared to last year’s yields of 4.00 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.95 tons per acre for other hay.

Dry bean production for 2022 is forecast at 693,000 hundredweight, up 15 percent from the 602,000 hundredweight produced a year earlier. Yields are expected to average 1,980 pounds per acre, up from 1,880 pounds per acre last year. Growers expect to harvest 35,000 acres this year, up 3,000 acres from 32,000 acres last year. As of July 31, 50 percent of the dry bean crop was blooming, compared with 72 percent last year and the five-year average of 62 percent. The dry bean crop was rated 3 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 20 percent excellent.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 663,000 tons, down 17 percent from the 795,000 tons produced in 2021. Growers expect to harvest 22,400 acres this year compared with 23,600 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 29.6 tons per acre, down from 33.7 tons per acre a year ago. As of July 31, the sugarbeet crop was rated 50 percent fair and 50 percent good.

Colorado peach production for 2022 is forecast at 12,500 tons, up 9 percent from last year’s production of 11,500 tons.