Crop Insurance Today - 11

Figure 7 Fall 2016 (Sept-Nov)
Statewide Precipitation Ranks, 1895-2016

Record
Driest
(1)

Much
Below
Average

Below
Average

Near
Average

been planted. The crop was progressing well with
58 percent rated "good" or "excellent" by November 27, three percent better than last year.
Planted winter wheat acreage was reported to
be 36.8 million, down sharply from 2015. Planted
acreage by class was reported to be 26.6 million
acres of Hard Red Winter down nine percent
from 2015; 6.02 million acres of Soft Red Winter, down more than 15 percent; and 4.2 million
acres of White Winter, roughly the same as the
previous year.

2016 Crop Production
Summary

Table 1 indicates 2016 production totals for
major crops based on the annual end-of-year es-

Above
Average

Much
Above
Average

Record
Wettest
(122)

timates reported by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). An increase in acres
planted to corn, combined with a record yield of
174.6 bushels per acre, resulted in U.S. corn production increasing by 11.4 percent in 2016. While
corn acreage increased, the area planted to other
feed grains declined resulting in a corresponding
decrease in production. Barley producers seeded
3.05 million acres, down 16 percent from 2015.
As a result, despite the highest yields ever recorded-77.9 bushels per acre-production declined
by 8.72 percent. Grain sorghum acreage also decreased, down 21 percent from 2015 to 6.69 million acres. Combined with another record for the
average yield-78 bushels per acre-production
declined by almost 20 percent from 2015.

Table 1 Crop Yields and Production
CROPS

2015 YIELD

2016 YIELD

2015
PRODUCTION

2016
PRODUCTION

Bu./Harv. Ac.

Mil. Bu.

Corn
Barley
Grain Sorghum
Soybeans
All Wheat
Winter Wheat
Other Spring

168.4
69.1
76.0
48.0
43.6
42.5
46.2

174.6
77.9
77.9
52.1
52.6
55.3
47.2

13,602
218
597
3,926
2,062
1,375
603

15,148
199
480
4,307
2,310
1,672
534
1,000 Bales

Lbs./Harv. Ac.

1,000 Bales

Upland Cotton

766

855

12,888

16,959

Lbs./Harv. Ac.

1,000 Cwt.

Rice

7,472

7,237

193,148

224,145

Source: NASS Crop Production 2016 Summary, January 2017

%
CHANGE

11.4
-8.7
-19.6
9.7
12.0
21.6
-11.4
31.6
16.0

Soybeans had another record year in 2016
with production reaching 4.307 billion bushels,
9.7 percent greater than last year. The record crop
was the result of a combination of a record level
of planted acres, 83.4 million, and a record yield
of 52 bushels per acre. The area planted to canola
was down four percent from 2015's record level
to 1.71 million acres. However, record yields of
1,824 pounds per acre, up 144 pounds from 2015,
resulted in U.S. canola production increasing by
seven percent from 2015 to a record 3.08 billion
pounds. Oil-type sunflower production remained
at about 2015's level, totaling 2.37 billion pounds.
While the planted area declined in 2016, down
eight percent from last year, record yields of 1,731
pounds per acre prevailed. An increase in acreage
planted to peanuts, up three percent from 2015 to
1.67 million acres, was not enough to overcome
lower yields resulting in a decrease in production
of five percent to 5.68 billion pounds.
Spring wheat production declined in 2016 to
534 million bushels, 11.4 percent below 2015's
total. Higher yields, up by one bushel per acre
to a record 47.2 bushels per acre, did not offset
the decrease in planted acreage, down 13 percent
from 2015. Upland cotton production in 2016
increased substantially from 2015, up almost 32
percent to around 17 million bales. The increased
production resulted from a combination of increased planted acres, 9.88 million, up 17 percent
from 2015, along with increased yields of 855
pounds per acre, up 89 pounds from 2015. Reduced plantings and slightly lower yields resulted
in a decrease in the production of all dry hay by
four percent from last year to a total of 134 million tons for 2015.
Rice production increased in 2016, up 16
percent from 2015 to 224 million cwt. Increased
production resulted from a 20 percent increase
in planted area, to 3.15 million acres, as average
yields fell below 2015 by 235 pounds per acre to
7,237. The production of dry edible beans declined by four percent in 2016 to 28.7 million
cwt. resulting from a decrease in planted acres.
Production of dry edible peas continued an upward trend, increasing to 27.7 million cwt. with
increased planted acreage, up 21 percent, and increasing yields, up 399 pounds, from 2015.
U.S. production of principal fresh vegetables
was reported to be about the same as 2015 at 400
million cwt. for 2016. The value of the 24 principle fresh vegetables previously reported by NASS
in an annual summary report was estimated from
individual statistics to be down seven percent to
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