photo by Robert Stewart: A grain cart empties its load into a waiting semi in a field west of Seward. Corn and soybeans in Seward County performed well despite drought conditions earlier in the year.

by Robert Stewart

    If things proceed as forecast, corn and soybean harvests for 2006 in the state will be higher than may have been expected in a year with diminished rainfall.
     The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) predicts, based on Nov. 1 conditions, 1.23 billion bushels of corn in the state, three percent below last year, and 255 million bushels of soybeans, up eight percent from last year.
     This crop production forecast represents an estimate based on surveys of ag producers and information gathered from NASS test plots.
     "We have objective measurements from actual field counts and we have farmers' opinions," Dean Groskurth, deputy director of the USDA NASS Nebraska field office, said.
     Late-season rains helped to increase harvest numbers in Seward County, according to Jon Kruse, location manager at the United Farmer's Co-operative (UFC) Beaver Crossing grain elevator.
     "I think those August rains came in time to really help the bean crop along," he said. "Dryland corn, there were some that yielded well and some that burned up."
     However, Kruse said that corn, at 550,000 bushels and soybeans, at 325,000 bushels, showed their second-highest yields in the last four years.
     Betty Rerucha of the elevator in Bee said numbers have been up there as well.
     The elevator has recorded 330,271 bushels of corn and 296,482 of soybeans. The latter was well over the 221,909 bushels recorded in 2005.
     Bern Kozisek, UFC regional manager, said several elevators saw higher numbers for soybeans this year.
     "Quite a few of our other facilities surpassed last year's on beans," he said. "I think that last rain that we had did really good to help the beans."
     Numbers for the Tamora elevator, where Kozisek is based, remained at a stable level compared to last year, he said. Slightly more than 1.5 million bushels of soybeans came into the facility along with 2.2 million bushels of corn.
     The Utica elevator reported 650,000 bushels of corn and 350,000 bushels of soybeans. Kosisek estimated the Staple-hurst elevator received 500,000 bushels of corn and 180,000 bushels of soybeans. Garland received 200,000 bushels of corn and 115,000 bushels of soybeans.
     Groskurth said that although the NASS does not have data for county harvest numbers yet, the season is shaping up to be productive.
     "It's not a record, but it's still a good crop," he said. "This (NASS report) is still considered a forecast. (But) if realized, it'll be the fourth-largest corn crop."
     Although there are still some crops yet to be harvested, Kosisek and Kruse agreed that the majority of the fields have been picked.
     "I think harvest is pretty well over," Kosisek said.
     "The last guy that was hauling finished up yesterday (Nov. 8)," Kruse said.
     Once all the numbers have been recorded and tabulated the NASS plans to release its end of the year crop production report on Friday, January 12.
     Information from Farmer's Cooperative facilities was not available at press time.