Rain Makes Grain: SD on track to meet demand

South Dakota will harvest its largest corn crop in the state’s history according to the crop report released by USDA today. The forecast for the state’s 2008 harvest predicts a near 5.7 million bushels in South Dakota, providing ample supply to meet feed and fuel demand in state and beyond.

Interestingly, South Dakota is set to produce more grain on fewer acres. In 2007, South Dakota producers harvested 5.4 million bushels on 4.5 million acres; in 2008, the predicted 5.7 million bushel crop will be raised on 4.2 million acres. The key difference is that the projected yield for 2008 is 10 percent higher than in 2007.

“South Dakota corn producers have proven once again that they can and will step up to the plate when it comes to managing their crop to meet demand,” said Bill Chase, president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. “Our producers know they can achieve significant production increases without dramatically increasing corn acres through the advancements made with biotechnology. Weather will always be the key factor to this success but the choices producers make with seed selection and dedicated acres are management decisions that seal that fate."

Nationwide, corn production estimates are up 573 million from last month’s projection due to higher forecasted yields and increased harvested area. The increase to a projected 12.3 billion bushel harvest in the U.S. is due to favorable growing conditions across much of the Corn Belt since late June.

Perhaps most important is that with this larger crop, a cushion was brought to the carry-out expectations into 2009, of 1.1 billion bushels, indicating that total production is in tandem with the growth in demand this year and better positions domestic stocks for next year.