Based on October 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 145.00 million bushels, down 9 percent from last year’s 159.90 million bushels, according to the October 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Corn producers planted an estimated 1.43 million acres in 2020, down 8 percent from last year. The 1.16 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are 140,000 acres below the 1.30 million acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 125.0 bushels per acre, up 8.0 bushels from the September 1 forecast and 2.0 bushels above last year’s final yield. As of October 4, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 10 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 23 percent good, and 4 percent excellent. Corn harvested for grain was 30 percent complete, compared with 16 percent last year and the 5-year average of 12 percent. 

Sorghum production in 2020 is forecast at 12.00 million bushels, down 6 percent from the 12.71 million bushels harvested last year. Growers are estimated to have planted 375,000 acres of sorghum this year, up 10,000 acres from last year and expect to harvest 300,000 acres this year, down 10,000 acres from the 310,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 40.0 bushels per acre, up 4.0 bushels from the September 1 forecast but down 1.0 bushel from last year. As of October 4, Colorado’s sorghum crop condition was rated 8 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 54 percent fair, 16 percent good, and 2 percent excellent. Sorghum harvested for grain was estimated at 18 percent complete, compared with 13 percent last year and the 5-year average of 9 percent. 

The initial forecast of all sunflower production is estimated at 64.7 million pounds, up 9 percent from the 2019 crop of 59.40 million pounds. All sunflower yield is expected to average 1,221 pounds per acre, up 141 pounds per acre from last year. Planted area is estimated at 59,000 acres, unchanged from last year and harvested area is estimated at 53,000 acres, down from the 55,000 acres harvested last year. As of October 4, Colorado’s sunflower crop condition was rated 3 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 72 percent fair, and 10 percent good. Sunflower harvest was estimated at 13 percent complete, compared with 6 percent last year and the 5-year average of 4 percent. 

Alfalfa hay production in Colorado is forecast at 2.49 million tons, down 8 percent from the 2.70 million tons produced in 2019. Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 710,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, down 20,000 acres from 2019. Alfalfa hay yield is expected to average 3.50 tons per acre, compared with last year’s yield of 3.70 tons per acre and the August 1 forecast of 3.00 tons per acre. Producers expect to harvest 700,000 acres of other hay in 2020, down 30,000 acres from last year. Other hay production is forecast at 1.19 million tons, down 12 percent from the 1.35 million tons a year ago. Other hay yield is expected to average 1.70 tons per acre, compared with last year’s yield of 1.85 tons per acre and the August 1 forecast of 1.90 tons per acre. 

Sugarbeet production in Colorado is forecast at 790,000 tons, up 5 percent from the 749,000 tons produced in 2019. Growers expect to harvest 24,000 acres this year, compared with 24,400 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 32.9 tons per acre, unchanged from the September 1 forecast and up from last year’s yield of 30.7 tons per acre. As of October 4, Colorado’s sugarbeet crop condition was rated 3 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. Harvest of sugarbeets was estimated at 43 percent complete, compared with 27 percent last year and the 5-year average of 19 percent. 

Dry edible bean production for 2020 is forecast at 1.09 million hundredweight, up 75 percent from the 623,000 hundredweight produced a year earlier. Yields are expected to average 2,020 pounds per acre, unchanged from the August 1 forecast and up 180 pounds per acre from last year. Growers are estimated to have planted 58,000 acres of dry edible beans, up 21,000 acres from last year, and expect to harvest 54,000 acres this year, up 20,200 acres from the 33,800 acres harvested last year. As of October 4, Colorado’s dry edible bean crop condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Dry edible bean harvest was estimated to be 36 percent complete, compared with 39 percent last year and the 5-year average of 58 percent.

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS 

Corn production for grain is forecast at 14.7 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the previous forecast but up 8 percent from 2019. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average a record high 178.4 bushels per harvested acre, down 0.1 bushel from the previous forecast but up 10.9 bushels from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 82.5 million acres, down 1 percent from the previous forecast, but up 1 percent from the previous year. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data. 

Sorghum production is forecast at 371 million bushels, up 4 percent from the previous forecast and up 9 percent from last year. Acreage updates were made in several States following a thorough review of all available data. Planted area, at 5.79 million acres, is up 3 percent from the previous estimate and up 10 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 5.0 million acres, up 3 percent from the previous forecast and up 7 percent from 2019. Based on October 1conditions, yield is forecast at 74.1 bushels per acre, 0.2 bushel higher than the previous forecast and 1.1 bushels per acre above the 2019 yield of 73.0 bushels per acre. 

The first sunflower production forecast for 2020 is 2.81 billion pounds, up 44 percent from the revised 2019 production of 1.96 billion pounds, and is the highest since 2015. Area planted, at 1.70 million acres, is up 10 percent from the June estimate and up 26 percent from last year. Sunflower growers expect to harvest 1.62 million acres, up 10 percent from the June forecast and up 29 percent from 2019. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data. The October yield forecast, at 1,730 pounds per acre, is 170 pounds higher than last year’s yield and will be just one pound less than the record high average yield for the Nation, if realized. 

Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixture dry hay for 2020 is forecast at 52.6 million tons, up 2 percent from the August forecast but down 4 percent from 2019. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 3.22 tons per acre, up 0.06 ton from the August forecast but down 0.06 ton from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 16.4 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, and down 2 percent from 2019. Record high yields are forecast in Arizona, Idaho, and Oregon. 

Production of other hay is forecast at 75.1 million tons, up 2 percent from the August forecast and up 1 percent from 2019. Based on October 1 conditions, the United States yield is expected to average 2.08 tons per acre, up 0.04 from the August forecast and up 0.01 ton from last year. If realized this yield would represent the second highest yield on record. Harvested area is forecast at 36.0 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, but up 1 percent from 2019. Record high yields are expected in Alabama, California, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, and Wyoming. 

Production of sugarbeets for the 2020 crop year is forecast at 35.8 million tons, up 2 percent from last month and up 25 percent from last year. Area planted, at 1.17 million acres, is up 2 percent from the previous forecast and up 3 percent from last year. Sugarbeet producers expect to harvest 1.15 million acres, up 2 percent from the previous forecast and up 17 percent from 2019. Yield is forecast at 31.2 tons per acre, unchanged from the previous forecast but an increase of 2.0 tons from last year. 

Production of dry edible beans is forecast at 35.0 million cwt, up 7 percent from the August forecast and up 68 percent from 2019. Area planted is estimated at 1.74 million acres, up 7 percent from the August forecast and up 35 percent from 2019. Area harvested is forecast at 1.68 million acres, up 7 percent from the August forecast and 43 percent above 2019. The yield is forecast at 2,079 pounds per acre, a decrease of 9 pounds from the August forecast, but an increase of 310 pounds from last season.