Corn and soybean yields good news for Delaware farmers and poultry growers

Dover, Del. — Corn yields in 2015 fell just short of matching the 2014 state record, and soybean yields were in the top 10 for Delaware production to date, according to officials from the Department of Agriculture. (Data is for corn for grain, used in animal feed and other products.)

Delaware corn for grain production yields hit 192 bushels an acre in 2015, just shy of 2014’s 200 bushels per acre.  Delaware soybean production yields were at 40 bushels per acre in 2015 and 48 in 2014.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Delaware’s numbers are on par with national yields of corn for grain production, estimated at 13.6 billion bushels, down slightly from the record 2014 estimate. The average yield in the U.S. is estimated at 168.4 bushels per acre, down 0.9 bushels from the 2014 average yield of 171 bushels per acre.

Soybean production across the U.S. totaled a record 3.93 billion bushels in 2015, slightly up from 2014.

DELAWARE CORN YIELD RECORDS

• 2015: 192 bushels/acre
• 2014: 200
• 2013: 166

 DELAWARE SOYBEAN YIELD RECORDS

• 2015: 40 bushels/acre
• 2014: 48
• 2013: 40.5

“Delaware corn and soybean harvest posted another solid year,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee.  “This is due directly to the hard work of our state’s family farmers, as well as top-notch science and great weather. Yields such as these are good news for our farmers and for poultry growers and processors, as they use most of Delaware’s grain for feed. We look forward to this trend continuing.”