WYOMING HIGHLIGHTS 

Based on August 1 conditions, barley production in Wyoming is forecast at 6.27 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 7 percent from the July 1 forecast but up 5 percent from last year’s crop. The area for harvest in 2021, at 64,000 acres, is up 2,000 acres from the 62,000 acres harvested last year. Barley yield is forecast at 98.0 bushels per acre, down 7.0 bushels per acre from the July 1 forecast but 2.0 bushels per acre above last year. As of August 1, Wyoming’s barley crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 1 percent poor, 15 percent fair, 82 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Barley harvest was 32 percent complete, compared with 20 percent last year and the 5-year average of 16 percent. 

Wyoming farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 450,000 acres of alfalfa hay this year, down 160,000 acres from 2020 and the lowest since 2013. They also expect to harvest 490,000 acres of other hay in 2021, up 20,000 acres from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 1.26 million tons, down 33 percent from the 1.89 million tons produced in 2020. If realized, this would be the lowest alfalfa hay production since 1.15 million tons in 2002. Other hay production is estimated at 735,000 tons, down 8 percent from the 799,000 tons produced a year ago. If realized, this would be the lowest other hay production since 648,000 tons in 2013. Yields are expected to average 2.80 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.50 tons per acre for other hay, compared to last year’s yields of 3.10 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.70 tons per acre for other hay. If realized, this would be the lowest other hay yield since 1.20 ton per acre in 2013. 

Dry bean production for 2021 is forecast at 363,000 hundredweight, down 31 percent from the 528,000 hundredweight produced a year earlier. If realized, this would be the lowest dry bean production since 339,000 hundredweight were produced in 1993. Yields are expected to average 2,420 pounds per acre, up from 2,160 pounds per acre last year. Growers expect to harvest 15,000 acres this year, down 9,500 acres from 24,500 acres last year. If realized, this would be the lowest dry bean harvested acreage since 15,000 acres were harvested in 1926. As of August 1, 33 percent of the dry bean crop was setting pods, compared with 45 percent last year and the five-year average of 29 percent. The dry bean crop was rated 18 percent fair, 79 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. 

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 869,000 tons, down 5 percent from 912,000 tons produced in 2020. Growers expect to harvest 30,800 acres this year compared with 30,800 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 28.2 tons per acre, down from 29.6 tons per acre a year ago. As of August 1, the sugarbeet crop was rated 11 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. 

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS 

Barley production is forecast at 106 million bushels, down 8 percent from the previous forecast and down 36 percent from 2020. If realized, this would be the lowest production since 1900. Based on conditions as of August 1, the average yield for the United States is forecast at 51.6 bushels per acre, down 4.3 bushels from the previous forecast and down 25.9 bushels from last year. Barley producers are expecting the lowest yield since 1989. Area harvested for grain or seed, at 2.04 million acres, is unchanged from the previous forecast, but down 4 percent from 2020. 

Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixture dry hay for 2021 is forecast at 47.8 million tons, down 10 percent from 2020. Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 2.97 tons per acre, down 0.3 ton from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 16.1 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report but down 1 percent from 2020. Production of other hay is forecast at 70.9 million tons, down 4 percent from 2020. Based on August 1 conditions, the United States yield is expected to average 2.00 tons per acre, down 0.05 ton from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 35.4 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report but down 2 percent from 2020. 

Production of dry edible beans is forecast at 23.3 million cwt, down 29 percent from 2020. Area planted is estimated at 1.46 million acres, down 3 percent from the Acreage report and down 16 percent from 2020. Area harvested is forecast at 1.39 million acres, down 

3 percent from the Acreage report and down 17 percent from 2020. The average United States yield is forecast at 1,675 pounds per acre, a decrease of 291 pounds from last season. 

Production of sugarbeets for the 2021 crop year is forecast at 33.7 million tons, up slightly from last year. Sugarbeet producers expect to harvest 1.13 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report but down 1 percent from 2020. Yield is forecast at 29.7 tons per acre, an increase of 0.3 ton from last year.