USDA, NASS, Virginia Field Office
Herman Ellison, State Statistician
P.O. Box 1659
Richmond, Virginia 23218-1659
(804) 771-2493 or 1-800-772-0670
Email: nassrfoemr@nass.usda.gov
RELEASED: September 11, 2020
September 1 Virginia Crop Production Forecast
Corn production in Virginia is forecast at 49.5 million bushels, unchanged from the August forecast and down 10% from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 132 bushels per acre, unchanged bushels from last month and down 12.0 bushels from the 2019 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 375,000 acres, down 5,000 acres from 2019. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 14.9 billion bushels, down 2% from the August forecast and up 9% from 2019. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 178.5 bushels per acre, down 3.3 bushels from last month and up 11.1 bushels from 2019. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 83.5 million acres, down 1% from the August forecast and up 3% from 2019.
Soybean production for Virginia is forecast at 21.8 million bushels, up 5% from the August forecast and up 15% from 2019. Yield was estimated at 39 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels from last month and up 5.0 bushels from a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 560,000 acres, unchanged acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.31 billion bushels, down 3% from the August forecast and up 21% from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 51.9 bushels per acre, down 1.4 bushels from last month and up 4.5 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 83.0 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and up 11% from 2019.
Virginia cotton production is projected to be 160,000 bales, down 11% from the August forecast and down 34% from last year. Cotton yields are forecast to average 972 pounds per acre, up 53 pounds from last month and down 172 pounds per acre from the previous year. Producers expect to harvest 79,000 acres, down 15,000 acres from the August forecast and down 23,000 acres from 2019. U.S. cotton production was forecast at 17.1 million bales, down 6 % from the August forecast and down 14% from 2019. Yields are forecast to average 910 pounds per acre, down 28 pounds from last month and up 87 pounds from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 9.01 million acres, down 3% from the August forecast and down 22% from the previous year.
Peanut farmers in Virginia anticipate harvesting 116 million pounds for 2020, up 5% from last year. Acres expected to be harvested total 27,000 acres, up 3,000 from last year. Producers expect a yield of 4,300 pounds per acre, down 300 pounds from 2019.
Virginia flue-cured tobacco production is forecast at 26.4 million pounds, down 10% from the August forecast and down 7% from 2019. Yield was projected at 2,200 pounds per acre, up 100 pounds from last month and up 300 pounds from the 2019 crop. Harvested acreage was estimated at 12,000 acres, down 3,000 acres from last year’s crop. For the flue-cured producing states production is forecast at 225 million pounds, up slightly from the August forecast and down 24 % from last year. Flue-cured growers plan to harvest 127,200 acres, down 15% from 2019. Yields were expected to average 1,772 pounds per acre, down 218 pounds from last year.
Production of Virginia dark fire-cured tobacco is forecast at 475,000 pounds down 18% from the previous year. Burley tobacco production is forecast at 680,000 pounds down 49% from last year.
