By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Editor

Texas farmers planted more soybeans and cotton this year, and less corn, falling slightly short of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts.

COTTON
According to a new report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), about 5.7 million acres of upland cotton are now forecast for 2017 in Texas. That’s half-a-million acres higher than last year, but falls short of USDA’s April forecast of 6.9 million acres.

Upland cotton yields in Texas are anticipated to be around 741 pounds per acre this year, which is down seven pounds per acre from last year.

Production is estimated at 8.8 million bales in 2017, which is 700,000 more bales than last year.

Pima cotton acreage remained the same in Texas this year at 15,000 acres. Yield is forecast down about 100 pounds per acre at 960 pounds.

As a result, pima cotton production is also forecast to be down this year at 30,000 bales, which is 3,000 bales less than 2016.

Nationally, all cotton production is up 20 percent over 2016. About 20.5 million 480-pound bales are forecast this year across the U.S.

All cotton yields are expected to average 892 pounds harvested per acre. That’s up 25 pounds over 2016.

Upland cotton production is forecast nationally at 19.8 million 480-pound bales. That’s up 19 percent.

Pima cotton production is forecast at 770,000 bales in the U.S., up 35 percent over last year.

All cotton production is expected to increase this year, as well.

In Texas, about 5.715 million acres are forecast to be harvested in 2017. That’s up half-a-million acres over last year.

Yields are expected to be down, however, at 742 pounds per acre. That’s a seven pound per acre decrease over 2016.

American farmers are expected to produce 8.83 million bales in 2017. That’s 700,000 higher than last year.

U.S. cottonseed production is forecast at 6.48 million tons this year, up from 5.37 million tons last year.

SOYBEANS
Texas soybean farmers are expected to grow 755,000 fewer bushels of soybeans for beans this year. Production for 2017 is estimated at 5.25 million bushels.

NASS estimates yields in Texas at 35 bushels per acre, up four bushels per acre from last year.

About 150,000 acres of soybeans are forecast to be harvested. That’s up 5,000 acres over 2016.

Nationally, soybean production is forecast up 2 percent at 4.38 billion bushels.

Yields, based on conditions as of Aug. 1, are expected to average 49.4 bushels per acre, which is down 2.7 bushels per acre.

A record number of acres will be harvested across the nation. NASS predicts 88.7 million acres, which is unchanged from the July forecast, but is up seven percent over last year.

The planted area estimate, which is also a record high, is 89.5 million acres.

CORN
About 277.2 million bushels of corn are expected to be harvested in Texas this year. That’s down 46.65 million bushels from 2016.

Corn yields are expected to increase to 132 bushels per acre this year, an increase of five bushels per acre over last year.

An estimated 2.1 million acres of corn are forecast to be harvested in Texas. That’s down 400,000 from 2016 levels and 350,000 lower than April estimates.

Production is down nationally as well. American farmers are forecast to harvest 14.2 billion bushels of corn, which is down seven percent from 2016.
Yields are expected to be down five percent to 169.5 bushels per acre nationally.

If realized, this year’s crop will be the third largest on record in regards to yield and production.

WHEAT
Low prices and diseases likely caused a smaller winter wheat harvest in Texas this year. About 2.5 million acres were harvested, which is 300,000 less than last year. Those acres produced seven million bushels of wheat, which is 1.9 million fewer than 2016.

Yields are also down four bushels to 28 bushels per acre this year.

Nationally, winter wheat production is forecast at 1.29 billion bushels, which is up one percent from the July forecast, but down 23 percent from 2016.

Yields nationally are forecast at 50 bushels per acre, which is up less than half-a-bushel per acre over last month, but down 5.3 bushels over last year.

About 25.8 million acres are expected to be harvested for grain