Based on September 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 174.20 million bushels, according to the September 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is down 2 percent from the August 1 forecast and down 6 percent from the 185.90 million bushels produced last year. The 1.34 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are unchanged from the August 1 forecast and 40,000 acres above the 1.30 million acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 130.0 bushels per acre, down 3.0 bushels from the August 1 forecast and 13.0 bushels below last year’s final yield. As of September 2, Colorado’s corn crop condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 66 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Corn in the dent stage was 45 percent complete, compared with 29 percent last year and the 5-year average of 45 percent. 

Sorghum production in 2018 is forecast at 13.65 million bushels, down 3 percent from the August 1 forecast and down 33 percent from the 20.52 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 350,000 acres this year, unchanged from the August 1 forecast, but down from the 360,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 39.0 bushels per acre, down 1.0 bushel from the August 1 forecast and down 18.0 bushels from last year. As of September 2, Colorado’s sorghum crop condition was rated 4 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 62 percent good, and 2 percent excellent. Sorghum turning color was 60 percent complete, compared with 43 percent last year and the 5-year average of 43 percent. 

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 892,000 tons, down 14 percent from the 1.04 million tons produced in 2017. Growers expect to harvest 25,400 acres this year compared with 29,000 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 35.1 tons per acre, down 1.9 tons per acre from the August 1 forecast and down from last year’s yield of 35.7 tons per acre. As of September 2, Colorado’s sugarbeet crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. 

UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS 

Corn production is forecast at 14.8 billion bushels, up 2 percent from August and up 2 percent from last year. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 181.3 bushels per acre, up 2.9 bushels from the August forecast and up 4.7 bushels from 2017. If realized, this will be the highest yield on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast, but down 1 percent from 2017. 

Sorghum production is forecast at 376 million bushels, up less than 1 percent from the August forecast and up 3 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 5.29 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but up 5 percent from 2017. Based on September 1 conditions, the yield is forecast at 71.1 bushels per acre, 0.2 bushel higher than the August forecast but 1.0 bushel below the 2017 yield of 72.1 bushels per acre. 

Production of sugarbeets, for the 2018 crop year, is forecast at 36.0 million tons, up 2 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.10 million acres, down 2 percent from last year. Expected yield is forecast at 32.8 tons per acre, an increase of 1.1 tons from last year.