The United States Department of Agriculture has summarized the soybean production data for the 2007 crop year. The following table shows that 62.8 million acres of soybeans were harvested in the 2007 growing season; average yields were 41.3 bushels per acre; with a total production of 2.594 billion bushels. Compared to the 2006 cropping season, harvested acres were 16% lower; yields were reduced by about 3%; resulting in an 18.6% reduction in the 2007 soybean crop. The reduced 2007 soybean plantings were due primarily to the large increase in corn acreage in the Midwest.

It is interesting to analyze the state soybean production data. Soybean acreages were reduced in most states; yields reflected the weather patterns in the various regions; and total production data show little change in the relative rankings between the states. The ten most productive states produced 83% for the total crop, with 40% of the soybeans being produced in three states, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota.