COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS 

Based on October 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 181.44 million bushels, up 16 percent from last year’s 156.00 million bushels, according to the October 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. The 1.26 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are up 40,000 acres from the September forecast and 60,000 acres above the 1.20 million acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 144.0 bushels per acre, down 4.0 bushels from the September 1 forecast but 14.0 bushels above last year’s final yield. As of September 29, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 3 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 66 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Corn harvested for grain was 12 percent complete, compared with 10 percent last year and the 5-year average of 7 percent. 

Sorghum production in 2019 is forecast at 14.63 million bushels, down 15 percent from the 17.23 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 325,000 acres this year, down 10,000 acres from the September forecast but unchanged from the acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 45.0 bushels per acre, down 3.0 bushels from the September 1 forecast and down 8.0 bushels from last year. As of September 29, Colorado’s sorghum crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Sorghum harvested for grain was estimated at 3 percent complete, compared with 8 percent last year and the 5-year average of 5 percent. 

The initial forecast of all sunflower production is estimated at 57.30 million pounds, down 8 percent from the 2018 crop of 61.95 million pounds. All sunflower yield is expected to average 1,061 pounds per acre, down 45 pounds per acre from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 54,000 acres, down from the 56,000 acres harvested last year. As of September 29, Colorado’s sunflower crop condition was rated 25 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 16 percent excellent. 

Alfalfa hay production in Colorado is forecast at 2.77 million tons, up from the 2.48 million tons produced in 2018. Colorado farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 730,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, unchanged from 2018. Alfalfa hay yield is expected to average 3.80 tons per acre, compared with last year’s yield of 3.40 tons per acre and the August 1 forecast of 3.70 tons per acre. Producers expect to harvest 730,000 acres of other hay in 2019, up 40,000 acres from last year. Other hay production is forecast at 1.31 million tons, up 15 percent from the 1.14 million tons a year ago. Other hay yield is expected to average 1.80 tons per acre, compared with last year’s yield of 1.65 tons per acre and the August 1 forecast of 1.70 tons per acre. 

Sugarbeet production in Colorado is forecast at 809,000 tons, down 3 percent from the 831,000 tons produced in 2018. Growers expect to harvest 24,500 acres this year, compared with 25,500 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 33.0 tons per acre, unchanged from the September 1 forecast and up from last year’s yield of 32.6 tons per acre. As of September 29, Colorado’s sugarbeet crop condition was rated 11 percent fair, 83 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Harvest of sugarbeets was estimated at 16 percent complete, compared with 9 percent last year and the 5-year average of 15 percent. 

Dry bean production for 2019 is forecast at 672,000 hundredweight, up 1 percent from the 668,000 hundredweight produced a year earlier. Yields are expected to average 1,920 pounds per acre, up 40 pounds per acre from the August 1 forecast but down 200 pounds per acre last year. Growers expect to harvest 35,000 acres this year, up 3,500 acres from the 31,500 acres harvested last year. As of September 29, Colorado’s dry bean harvest was estimated to be 33 percent complete, compared with 70 percent last year and the 5-year average of 48 percent. 

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS 

Corn production for grain is forecast at 13.8 billion bushels, down less than 1 percent from the previous forecast and down 4 percent from last year. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 168.4 bushels per harvested acre, up 0.2 bushel from 

the previous forecast but down 8.0 bushels from 2018. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, down less than 1 percent from the previous forecast but up slightly from 2018. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data. 

Sorghum production is forecast at 349 million bushels, down 1 percent from the previous forecast and down 4 percent from last year. Acreage updates were made in several States following a thorough review of all available data. Planted area, at 5.26 million acres, is down 1 percent from the previous estimate and down 8 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 4.72 million acres, down less than 1 percent from the previous forecast and down 7 percent from 2018. Based on October 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 73.9 bushels per acre, 0.4 bushel lower than the previous forecast but 1.8 bushels per acre above the 2018 yield of 72.1 bushels per acre. 

The first sunflower production forecast for 2019 is 2.25 billion pounds, up 7 percent from the revised 2018 production of 2.11 billion pounds. Area planted, at 1.36 million acres, is down 2 percent from the June estimate but up 4 percent from last year. Sunflower growers expect to harvest 1.31 million acres, down 1 percent from the June forecast but up 7 percent from the 2018 acreage. Both planted area and the harvested area forecast for the Nation will be the second lowest since 1976. The October yield forecast, at 1,724 pounds per acre, is 7 pounds lower than last year’s yield but will be the third highest on record, if realized. 

Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixture dry hay for 2019 is forecast at 54.2 million tons, down 2 percent from the previous forecast but up 3 percent from 2018. Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 3.22 tons per acre, down 0.07 ton from the previous forecast but up 0.05 ton from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 16.8 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, but up 1 percent from 2018. 

Production of other hay is forecast at 76.7 million tons, up 1 percent from the previous forecast and up 8 percent from 2018. Based on October 1 conditions, the United States yield is expected to average 2.13 tons per acre, up 0.02 ton from the previous forecast and up 0.17 ton from last year. If realized, this would represent a new record high for the United States, surpassing the previous record of 2.09 tons per acre in 2016. Harvested area is forecast at 35.9 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, but down 1 percent from 2018. 

Production of sugarbeets for the 2019 crop year is forecast at 33.6 million tons, up slightly from last month and up 1 percent from last year. Area planted, at 1.13 million acres, is up slightly from the August forecast and up 2 percent from last year’s planted area. Sugarbeet producers expect to harvest 1.12 million acres, down slightly from the previous forecast but up 2 percent from 2018. Yield is forecast at 30.1 tons per acre, an increase of 0.1 ton from the previous forecast but a decrease of 0.2 ton from last year. 

Production of dry edible beans is forecast at 23.8 million cwt, down 3 percent from the August forecast and down 37 percent from 2018. Area planted is estimated at 1.31 million acres, down 2 percent from the August forecast and down 37 percent from 2018. Area harvested is forecast at 1.26 million acres, down 2 percent from the August forecast and 37 percent below 2018. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data. The average United States yield is forecast at 1,889 pounds per acre, a decrease of 30 pounds from the August forecast, but an increase of 29 pounds from last season. Beginning in 2019, estimates no longer include chickpeas.