Based on August 1 conditions, oat production in Montana is forecast at 1.21 million bushels, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is down 8 percent from the July 1 forecast but up 10 percent from the 2014 crop. Acreage harvested is expected to total 22,000 acres, up 6,000 acres from the 16,000 acres harvested last year. Oat yield is forecast at 55.0 bushels per acre, down 5.0 bushels from the July 1 forecast and down 14.0 bushels from last year. As of August 2, Montana’s oat crop condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Oats turning color were at 85 percent complete, compared with 53 percent last year and the 5-year average of 53 percent. Barley production is forecast at 47.30 million bushels, up 4 percent from the July 1 forecast and up 6 percent from last year’s crop. The area for harvest in 2015, at 860,000 acres, is up 90,000 acres from the 770,000 acres harvested last year. Barley yield is forecast at 55.0 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels from July 1 but 3.0 bushels below last year. As of August 2, the barley crop condition was rated 3 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 11 percent excellent. Barley harvest was 25 percent complete, compared with 1 percent last year and the 5-year average of 4 percent. Winter wheat production is forecast at 94.30 million bushels, unchanged from the July 1 forecast but up 3 percent from the 91.84 million bushels produced last year. Estimated acreage for harvest, at 2.30 million acres, is unchanged from July 1 but 60,000 acres more than the 2.24 million acres harvested in 2014. As of August 1, the average yield is forecast at 41.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the July 1 forecast, and even with last year’s final yield. As of August 2, the winter wheat crop condition was 2 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. Winter wheat harvest was 70 percent complete, compared with 35 percent last year and the 5-year average of 20 percent. Durum wheat production is forecast at 17.98 million bushels, up 7 percent from the July 1 forecast and up 35 percent from the 13.33 million bushels produced last year. Estimated acreage for harvest, at 620,000 acres, is unchanged from July 1 but 190,000 acres more than the 430,000 acres harvested in 2014. As of August 1, the average yield is forecast at 29.0 bushels per acre, 2.0 bushels above the July 1 forecast but 2.0 bushels below last year’s final yield. As of August 2, the durum wheat crop condition was rated 8 percent very poor, 46 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 29 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Durum wheat turning color was at 87 percent complete, compared to 20 percent last year and the 5-year average of 27 percent. Spring wheat production in Montana is forecast at 85.25 million bushels, down 3 percent from the July 1 forecast and down 18 percent from the 104.30 million bushels produced last year. Estimated acreage for harvest, at 2.75 million acres, is unchanged from July 1 but down 230,000 acres from the 2.98 million acres harvested in 2014. As of August 1, the average yield is forecast at 31.0 bushels per acre, 1.0 bushel below the July 1 forecast and 4.0 bushels below last year’s final yield. As of August 2, the spring wheat crop condition was rated 4 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 44 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Spring wheat turning color was at 94 percent complete, compared with 68 percent last year and the 5-year average of 45 percent. Montana farmers and ranchers expect to harvest 1.90 million acres of alfalfa hay this year, up 50,000 acres from 2014. They also expect to harvest 900,000 acres of other hay in 2015, up 20,000 acres from last year. Alfalfa production is forecast at 3.42 million tons, down 12 percent from 3.89 million tons produced in 2014. Other hay production is forecast at 1.71 million tons, up 14 percent from 1.50 million tons a year ago. Yields are expected to average 1.80 tons per acre for alfalfa and 1.90 tons per acre for other hay, compared to last year’s yields of 2.10 tons per acre for alfalfa hay and 1.70 tons for other hay. Dry bean production for 2015 is forecast at 810,000 hundredweight, up 34 percent from the 603,000 hundredweight produced a year earlier. Yields are expected to average 1,800 pounds per acre, up from 1,630 pounds per acre last year. Growers expect to harvest 45,000 acres this year, up 8,000 acres from 37,000 acres last year. Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.34 million tons, down 7 percent from 1.43 million tons produced in 2014. Growers expect to harvest 43,800 acres this year compared with 44,400 a year ago. Yields are expected to average 30.6 tons per acre, down from 32.3 tons per acre a year ago. Source - http://www.theprairiestar.com