The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated their estimates for soybean and soybean meal production with a 2009 crop year production estimate of 3.2 billion bushels for soybeans and 39.8 million tons of meal. U.S. production of soybeans is estimated to be increased by about eight percent and crush and exports near the 2008 crop year levels. The most significant change between crop years is the anticipated price of soybean meal; lower meal prices will be welcomed by the feed formulator.

Soybean Production Data Chart

(*) Marketing year beginning September 1 for soybeans and October 1 for meal;
(**) Estimate and (***) Projection



(*) Projected for the 2009/2010 marketing year.

Reference: U.S.D.A. Economic Research Service, World Agricultural Supply and
Demand Estimates; WASDE-473, August 12, 2009