The USDA Agricultural Statistics Service recently released the 2016 Peanut Crop Estimate. Another high yielding crop, averaging 3,990 pounds per acre is predicted. This is largely a result of favorable weather in the Southeast US peanut growing areas. Georgia once again leads the way, expected to produce 55% of the national crop on a slightly reduced acreage from 2015. This should be the second largest crop on record by Georgia peanut growers. A more favorable harvest is predicted, which will increase the yields in the Carolina region compared to last year, which was hammered by rainfall and flooding in the Fall of 2015. The Florida crop was planted on about 25% fewer acres this year, and the total production should reflect that decrease, while yields per acre are expected to be comparable to 2015.

Table provided by Peanut Farm Market News (102)

Other news from the Agricultural Statistics service includes:

• Corn production expected to be the highest average yield (175.1 bushels) and total production (15.2b bushels) on record
• Soybean production forecast at a record high average yield of 48.9 bushels per acre on 83 million acres. Record production is forecasted at 4.0b bushels
• Cotton production is expected to be up 23% from last year at 15.9 million pounds. Yield is expected to average 800 pounds per acre which is an increase of 34 pounds over the 2015 average yield.