National Agricultural Statistics Service

LOUISVILLE (February 22, 2018) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the county estimates for corn and soybeans today from the 2017 production year.

“Corn yields rebounded from an off year in 2016, while soybean yields continue a string of annual increases.” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “Statewide, the soybean and corn yields were record highs and soybean production was at a record high for the fifth year in a row.”

Christian County is the leading corn producing county in Kentucky for 2017, with production totaling 13,957,000 bushels, harvested from 73,100 acres. The top five counties, which account for 29 percent of Kentucky’s corn production, include:
Christian County – 13,957,000 bushels
Henderson County – 12,970,000 bushels
Union County – 12,390,000 bushels
Graves County – 12,121,000 bushels
Daviess County – 11,335,000 bushels

Wayne County took the top corn yield spot in 2017, producing 205 bushels per acre and the first time a county average corn yield has exceeded 200 bushels. The previous record was held by Ohio County when the average yield was 199.1 bushels in 2014. The top five counties for yield include:
Wayne County – 205.0 bushels per acre
Ohio County – 199.3 bushels per acre
Hancock County – 198.6 bushels per acre
Daviess County – 197.8 bushels per acre
McLean County – 191.6 bushels per acre

Henderson County is the leading soybean producing county in Kentucky for 2017, with production totaling 5,402,000 bushels, harvested from 91,800 acres. The top five counties, which account for 24 percent of Kentucky’s soybean production, include:
Henderson County – 5,402,000 bushels
Daviess County – 5,359,000 bushels
Graves County – 4,975,000 bushels
Christian County – 4,765,000 bushels
Union County – 3,908,000 bushels

Pendleton County had the highest soybean yield at 60.9 bushels per acre. The top five counties for yield include:
Pendleton County – 60.9 bushels per acre
Wayne County – 60.4 bushels per acre
Union County – 60.4 bushels per acre
Daviess County – 60.3 bushels per acre
Boone County – 60.3 bushels per acre

County-level estimates are used by other USDA agencies to set standards for insurance and risk protection programs many farmers rely on to protect their operations.

“Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the county-level estimates for Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program calculations,” Knopf said. “The Risk Management Agency (RMA) uses the data for administering the Area Risk Protection Insurance Plan, establishment of transitional yields, and determining when to make crop loss insurance payments. When drought and flooding impact crop production, or even in a year with good yields, these data are crucial to the agriculture industry."