Robert A Whit
02-21-2013, 06:27 PM
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/21/farmers-record-harvest/1936435/
Christopher Doering, Gannett Washington Bureau5:45p.m. EST February 21, 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture made its official crop forecast for the year on Thursday and predicted record corn and soybean harvest even though drought continues to grip some areas of the country<aside itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" class="single-photo expandable-collapsed">http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/02/21/corn-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67 cdb10c81
(Photo: Seth Perlman, AP)
</aside><aside class="comp story-highlights " style="min-height: 60px;">Story Highlights
Officials say waning drought will allow for record corn, soybean harvest
Others worry that drought will continue to cut into crop harvests
Bigger harvest will lower prices but consumers will still see higher food costs
</aside>
ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. farmers are expected to harvest record corn and soybeans crops in 2013 as growers recover from the worst drought to ravage the industry in decades, a top agricultural economist said on Thursday.
Normal spring weather would bring yields back to their recent averages, Joe Glauber, the U.S. Agriculture Department's chief economist, told an audience of lobbyists, agribusiness executives and other officials near Washington. He said improved yields would generate a harvest of 14.53 billion bushels of corn and 3.41 billion bushels for soybeans. A year ago farmers overcame bone-dry conditions affecting much of the country to harvest 10.78 billion bushels of corn and just over 3 billion bushels of soybeans.
The recovery should send prices for most oilseeds and grains sharply lower, providing a much-needed reprieve for livestock, dairy and poultry producers struggling with high feed costs and long-term relief for consumers who have paid
Christopher Doering, Gannett Washington Bureau5:45p.m. EST February 21, 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture made its official crop forecast for the year on Thursday and predicted record corn and soybean harvest even though drought continues to grip some areas of the country<aside itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" class="single-photo expandable-collapsed">http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/02/21/corn-4_3_r536_c534.jpg?1b79b3da202957124496e3768cfb7b67 cdb10c81
(Photo: Seth Perlman, AP)
</aside><aside class="comp story-highlights " style="min-height: 60px;">Story Highlights
Officials say waning drought will allow for record corn, soybean harvest
Others worry that drought will continue to cut into crop harvests
Bigger harvest will lower prices but consumers will still see higher food costs
</aside>
ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. farmers are expected to harvest record corn and soybeans crops in 2013 as growers recover from the worst drought to ravage the industry in decades, a top agricultural economist said on Thursday.
Normal spring weather would bring yields back to their recent averages, Joe Glauber, the U.S. Agriculture Department's chief economist, told an audience of lobbyists, agribusiness executives and other officials near Washington. He said improved yields would generate a harvest of 14.53 billion bushels of corn and 3.41 billion bushels for soybeans. A year ago farmers overcame bone-dry conditions affecting much of the country to harvest 10.78 billion bushels of corn and just over 3 billion bushels of soybeans.
The recovery should send prices for most oilseeds and grains sharply lower, providing a much-needed reprieve for livestock, dairy and poultry producers struggling with high feed costs and long-term relief for consumers who have paid