DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the expected record corn and soybean harvest will be slightly bigger than previously estimated.
Farmers are expected to bring in 14.5 billion bushels of corn, up from 14.4 billion last month, and 3.93 billion bushels of soybeans, up 14 million bushels.
The October estimate released Friday boosted the per-acre yield for both major crops because of an extended period of late summer warmth in the Midwest.
The USDA says 22 states will set corn record yields this year. Corn farmers are expected to harvest a national average of 174.2 bushels per acre, a significant increase over the record of 169.
A dozen states will set new soybean yield records, and there's expected to be 47.1 bushels per acre, up from the record of 44.
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