Minnesota Corn Crop Should Be Larger Than Expected

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota's corn crop should be larger than first expected.

But while the U.S. Department of Agriculture says record yields will be set in 18 states, Minnesota isn't one of them.

Statewide corn yields are forecast at 170 bushels an acre, up 10 from 2013. That's up 2 bushels from the September forecast thanks to plentiful rain and mild temperatures. But it's shy of the 177-bushel record in 2010. Corn production is estimated at 1.36 billion bushels, second-highest in Minnesota history.

Minnesota's new soybean yield forecast is unchanged at 42 bushels an acre. State's soybean production is estimated at 312 million bushels, up 15 percent over last year.

Despite the strong forecast, concerns have grown that cold weather is creeping into the upper Midwest too soon. Some crops are maturing late.