NASHVILLE – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the September Crop Production report today, showing an increase in yields for most crops.

“This is a very promising season for agricultural producers in Tennessee,” according to Debra Kenerson, Tennessee State Statistician. “With the exception of burley tobacco, which showed a 100 pound per acre decrease from the August forecast, the September forecasts show yield increases for all other crops.”

Tennessee cotton production is projected to be 740,000 bales, up nine percent from the August forecast and up 29 percent from last year. Cotton yields are forecast to average 1,045 pounds per acre, up nine pounds from last month and down 59 pounds per acre from the previous year. Producers expect to harvest 340,000 acres, up 25,000 acres from the August forecast and up 90,000 acres from 2017. U.S. cotton production was forecast at 21.8 million bales, up six percent from the August forecast and up 27 percent from 2016. Yields are forecast to average 908 pounds per acre, up 16 pounds from last month and up 41 pounds from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 11.5 million acres, up four percent from the August forecast and up 21 percent from the previous year.

Corn production in Tennessee is forecast at 131 million bushels, up one percent from the August forecast and up five percent from the previous crop. Yield was estimated at 168 bushels per acre, up two bushels from last month and up 17 bushels from the 2016 level. Acres for harvest as grain were estimated at 780,000 acres, down 50,000 acres from 2016. The U.S. corn production is forecast at 14.2 billion bushels, up slightly from the August forecast and down six percent from 2016. Based on conditions as of Sept. 1, yields are expected to average 169.9 bushels per acre, up 0.4 bushels from last month and down 4.7 bushels from 2016. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 83.5 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and down four percent from 2016.

Soybean production for Tennessee is forecast at 82.6 million bushels, up seven percent from the August forecast and up 13 percent from 2016. Yield was estimated at 48 bushels per acre, up three from last month and three from a year ago. Acreage for harvest as beans was estimated at 1.72 million acres, up 90,000 acres from the previous year. U.S. soybean production is forecast at 4.43 billion bushels, up one percent from the August forecast and up three percent from last year. Based on Sept. 1, conditions, yields are expected to average 49.9 bushels per acre, up 0.5 bushels from last month and down 2.2 bushels from last year. Area for harvest is forecast at 88.7 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and up seven percent from 2016.

Tennessee burley tobacco production is forecast at 19.2 million pounds, down 19 percent from the August forecast, but up 19 percent from 2016. Yield was projected at 1,600 pounds per acre, down 100 pounds from last month and up 250 pounds from the 2016 crop. Harvested acreage was estimated at 12,000 acres, unchanged acres from last year's crop. For the burley producing states production is forecast at 161 million pounds, up one percent from the August forecast and up 15 percent from last year. Burley growers plan to harvest 81,500 acres, up two percent from 2016. Yields were expected to average 1,970 pounds per acre, up 223 pounds from last year.

Production of Tennessee dark fire-cured tobacco is forecast at 23.3 million pounds, up three percent from the August forecast and up 36 percent from the previous year. Dark air-cured tobacco production is forecast at 4.16 million pounds, up 28 percent from the August forecast and up 78 percent from last year.

“Going forward, we’ll need as much cooperation from agricultural producers as possible during our upcoming October Agricultural Yield Survey, so that we can more accurately forecast the effects of the rain and wind events resulting from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma,” Kenerson said. “Thank you to the Tennessee agricultural producers who make these reports possible not only for our state, but for the nation.”

NASS gathered data for the September Agricultural Yield Survey earlier this month. The monthly yield surveys begin in May with the focus on small grains through July and shifts to row crops beginning in August through the remainder of the growing season.