CORN, SOYBEAN ACRES AVERAGE, BUT DROP IN YIELDS EXPECTED

Corn and soybean acreage is about average in Cape Girardeau County, but questions about the potential yield remain, an Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service official said.

"Everything is looking good for corn and soybeans," said Terry Birk of the county ASCS office. "But, the generally late planting and poor early growing conditions in some areas could result in reduced yields."

A lot of crops in the county were planted in June, he said, which created some yield and quality concerns, especially in corn.

"We had a dry April this year," Birk said. "Then, rains in May kept farmers out of the fields until early June."

Another factor in the late planting is the cost of weed control.

"The weeds grew as fast as the crops," Birk said, and "farmers had to use more chemicals to control the weeds."

Meanwhile, the state's and county's winter wheat harvest was under average.

"Wheat yields varied throughout the county," Birk said, "but, overall, we averaged about 30 bushels an acre, down from the normal average of about 40 bushels an acre."

Statewide, winter wheat production was down 5 percent from 1994, with about 46.8 million bushels and an average yield of 39 bushels, down six bushels an acre from the 1994 crop. The U.S. winter wheat production was also down 7 percent, at 1.5 billion bushels.

Crop planting delays have also been reported in Southern Illinois and northern Missouri, according to the The U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Nationally, corn and soybean production is expected to be down.

The Missouri corn crop is forecast at 142 million bushels, down 48 percent from the 1994 crop. Acreage is down statewide. Of the 1.4 million acres planted in Missouri, 1.35 million acres are expected to be harvested for grain. Nationally, the U.S. corn production is forecast at 8.1 billion bushels, down 20 percent from the 1994 crop, but up 28 percent from the 1993 flood-ravaged crops.

Some 34,000 acres of corn have been planted in Cape County. This is about average for the county.

"The majority of the corn crop is looking good," Birk said, "but, some of the wetter lowland areas have poor-looking crops."

More than 42,000 acres of soybeans have been planted in Cape Girardeau County, which is about the average acreage, he said, adding: "Most of the soybeans look good."

The Missouri soybean crop is forecast at 146 million bushes, based on conditions as Aug. 1, the Missouri Agricultural Statistics Services in Columbia reported.

If realized, production would be down 16 percent from a year ago, but up 23 a percent from the low production totals of 1993, said crop statistician Bob Bellinghausen. Missouri farmers expect to harvest 4.7 million acres, up 3 percent from last year, but the projected state yield is expected to be 31 bushels an acre, down from the 38 bushels an acre of last year.

Nationally, soybean production is forecast at 2.3 billion bushels, down 12 percent from 1994, but up 20 percent from 1993.

In an August crop report, the statistical services reports possible increases in cotton and hay production, and a 20 percent decrease in the rice crop.

The cotton crop in Missouri is forecast at 630,000 bales, 2 percent more than the 1994 record harvest. Cotton acreage, mostly in the Southeast Missouri, is about 415,000 acres.

"All hay" production in the state is forecast at 6.9 million tons, up 2 percent from 1994. Alfalfa hay production accounts for about 1.4 million tons.

The Missouri rice acreage for 1995 is about 100,000 acres, down 19 percent from last year. The expected yield is about 5,100 pounds an acre, down about 100 pounds from last year.