USDA expects Iowa corn yield to exceed 2010 figure

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The latest federal crop forecast says Iowa’s average corn yield is expected to rise to 171 bushels this year, compared with 165 bushels an acre in 2010.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast is based on Nov. 1 conditions. It says a harvest of more than 2.33 billion bushels is expected, compared with more than 2.15 billion bushels last year.

By comparison, a forecast based on Aug. 1 conditions expected an average Iowa corn yield of 177 bushels an acre and a total harvest of 2.43 billion bushels.

Nationally, the U.S. corn crop is expected to average 146 bushels an acre, down five from last year, with a total production of 12.3 billion bushels, down 1 percent from last year.