Corn and Soybean Production Could be Close to Record Highs this Year, USDA Predicts

Sep 16, 2021

This year, the amount of corn and soybeans produced is expected to be the second- and third-highest, respectively, on record.

High yields in both crops are expected in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to a recent report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The federal government predicts there will be 15 billion bushels of corn and 4.37 billion bushels of soybeans produced this year — a 5.7% increase from 2020.

The top two states by crop production, Iowa and Illinois, are expected to produce 7.4% and 8.4% more corn and 19.7% and 11.6% more soybeans, respectively.
However, extreme weather might affect production in other states.

“Hurricane Ida’s impacts, which included flooding rains, damaging winds, power outages, and a coastal storm surge, were still being assessed,” the USDA said in its report.

The late-August hurricane became the strongest storm to hit Louisiana's coastline and moved through the state’s sugarcane, rice and cotton fields.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.