COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS

Based on November 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 150.96 million bushels, up 23 percent from last year’s 122.96 million bushels, according to the November 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. The 1.11 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are unchanged from the October forecast and 50,000 acres above the 1.06 million acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 136.0 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels per acre from the October 1 forecast and 20.0 bushels per acre above last year’s final yield. As of October 31, Colorado’s corn harvested for grain was 68 percent complete, compared with 82 percent last year and the 5-year average of 61 percent.

Sorghum production in 2021 is forecast at 17.40 million bushels, up from the 5.10 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 435,000 acres this year, unchanged from the October forecast and up 180,000 acres from the acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 40.0 bushels per acre, down 5.0 bushels per acre from the October 1 forecast but up 20.0 bushels per acre from last year. As of October 31, Colorado’s sorghum harvested for grain was estimated at 78 percent complete, compared with 76 percent last year and the 5-year average of 62 percent.

Sugarbeet production in Colorado is forecast at 789,000 tons, up 6 percent from the 742,000 tons produced in 2020. Growers expect to harvest 23,700 acres this year, compared with 23,700 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 33.3 tons per acre, up 0.5 ton per acre from the October 1 forecast and up from last year’s yield of 31.3 tons per acre. Harvest of sugarbeets was estimated at 94 percent complete, compared with 94 percent last year and the 5-year average of 75 percent as of October 31.

Potato growers in Colorado produced an estimated 21.14 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, down 6 percent from last year’s crop. Average yield, at 405 hundredweight per acre, decreased 15 hundredweight per acre from the yield attained last year. The harvested area, estimated at 52,200 acres, is down from the 53,800 acres harvested last year.

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS

Corn production for grain is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up less than 1 percent from the previous forecast and up 7 percent from 2020. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 177.0 bushels per harvested acre, up 0.5 bushel from the previous forecast and up 5.6 bushels from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 85.1 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but up 3 percent from the previous year.

Sorghum production is forecast at 471 million bushels, down slightly from the previous forecast but up 26 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 6.52 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but up 28 percent from 2020. Based on conditions as of November 1, yield is forecast at 72.3 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous forecast but 0.9 bushel per acre below the 2020 yield of 73.2 bushels per acre.

Production of sugarbeets for the 2021 crop year is forecast at 37.0 million tons, up 4 percent from last month, and up 10 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.15 million acres, unchanged from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 32.2 tons per acre, up 1.2 tons from last month and up 2.8 tons from last year.

Production of potatoes for the 2021 crop year is forecast at 413 million cwt, down 2 percent from last year. Planted acreage, at 951,000 acres, is up 1 percent from the June estimate and up 4 percent from last season. Area harvested, at 942,300 acres, is up 3 percent from the previous year. The yield forecast, at 438 cwt per acre, is down 23 cwt from last year’s yield.