Dover, Del. – Last week USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the final crop production summary for 2017. Overall, Delaware farmers had a good year with some of the crops breaking records.
“When we look at the USDA’s production summary it confirms what we saw as we moved throughout the state. We had good weather and Delaware farmers were able to get into the fields at key points throughout the season,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Yields such as we had in 2017 are good news for our farmers, and for poultry growers and processors who use much of the grain grown here for feed.”
The Mid-Atlantic region including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia all saw record high yields for soybean production. Much of this was attributed to the weather and proper planting time. Delaware was one of nine states to break record high yields for soybeans with yields of 51 bushels per acre, up 22.9 percent from 2016. Delaware produced more than 8 million bushels of soybeans in 2017.
Delaware corn growers produced 32.3 million bushels in 2017. This past year’s corn crop was the third highest yield with 189 bushels per acre, up 11.2 percent from 2016.
Other notable crop records for Delaware included winter wheat up 8.9 percent at 73 bushels per acre from 2016. All hay area harvested produced a yield of 3.28 tons per acre with 59,000 tons produced.
DELAWARE SOYBEAN YIELD RECORDS
2017: 51 bushels/acre
2016: 41.5
2015: 40
2014: 47.5
2000: 43
2004: 42.5
2012: 42.5
2009: 42
2013: 40.5
2015: 40
2011: 39.5
2001: 39
1994: 36.5
DELAWARE CORN YIELD RECORDS
2017: 189 bushels/acre
2016: 170
2015: 192
2014: 200
2015: 192
2013: 166
2000: 162
2004: 152
2001: 146
2009: 145
2006: 145
2005: 143
1996: 143
The full Crop Production 2017 Summary is available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications. The report contains year-end acreage, yield and production estimates for grains and hay; oilseeds; cotton, tobacco and sugar; dry beans, peas and lentils; and potatoes and miscellaneous crops.
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