The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service last week released its final crop production numbers for 2017, and Delaware scored high across the board.
“When we look at the USDA’s production summary it confirms what we saw as we moved throughout the state. We had good weather and Delaware farmers were able to get into the fields at key points throughout the season,” said Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse. “Yields such as we had in 2017 are good news for our farmers, and for poultry growers and processors who use much of the grain grown here for feed.”
The whole Mid-Atlantic region saw record high yields in soybean production. Delaware produced 51 bushels per acre, a 22.9 percent increase from 2016, for a total of eight million bushels.
Delaware produced 189 bushels of corn per acre in 2017, a 11.2 percent increase from 2016, for a total of 32.3 million bushels.
Wheat also had a good year. Delaware produced 73 bushels per acre, a 8.9 percent increase from 2016.
Here are yields from the past several years:
DELAWARE SOYBEAN YIELD RECORDS
2017: 51 bushels/acre
2016: 41.5
2015: 40
2014: 47.5
2000: 43
2004: 42.5
2012: 42.5
2009: 42
2013: 40.5
2015: 40
2011: 39.5
2001: 39
1994: 36.5″‹
DELAWARE CORN YIELD RECORDS
2017: 189 bushels/acre
2016: 170
2015: 192
2014: 200
2015: 192
2013: 166
2000: 162
2004: 152
2001: 146
2009: 145
2006: 145
2005: 143
1996: 143
