Final Numbers Show Smaller Corn, Soybean crops

ST. PAUL (AP) - Final estimates confirm Minnesota farmers produced less corn and soybeans in 2011 than 2010.

Thursday's U.S. Department of Agriculture report estimates Minnesota corn production at 1.2 billion bushels, down 2 percent from November's forecast and down 7 percent from a record in 2010. The estimated yield of 156 bushels per acre is down 21 bushels from a record in 2010, when the weather was just about perfect.

Minnesota soybean production is estimated at 270 million bushels, down 4 percent from November and down 18 percent from 2010's record. The estimated yield of 38.5 bushels per acre is down 6.5 from 2010.

Spring wheat production dropped 19 percent and sugarbeet production fell 24 percent.

While the weather was challenging in 2011, prices were strong so most producers had a good year.