A farmer drives his tractor past a soybean field toward grain storage bins near Ladora, Iowa. The nation’s corn and soybean farmers are on track to produce record crops this year as a mild summer has provided optimum growing conditions.
Corn plants are seen in a field near Ladora, Iowa.A near-perfect growing season has American corn farmers on the threshold of a hearty harvest as the first corn of the year comes in.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has raised its forecast of corn production this year to a record 14 billion bushels, up from last year’s record of 13.9 billion bushels.
A bigger crop was expected as adequate rain and cool temperatures made for favorable growing conditions in the 18 states that produce 91 percent of the nation’s corn.
“This year, we’re looking at having record yields through the U.S.,” said Aaron Smith, assistant professor and crop marketing specialist at the University of Tennessee. “You almost couldn’t ask for better production weather.”
According to USDA data, U.S. farmers planted 91.6 million acres of corn at the onset of the growing season this year, which is down 4 percent from 2013. But favorable weather is helping boost crop yields.