Corn for grain production in Kansas based on year- end surveys is estimated at 748 million bushels, up 22% from 2023, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Yield of 129 bushels per acre is up 10 bushels from last year. Area harvested, at 5.80 million acres of corn for grain, is up 13% from 2023. Corn for silage production, at 4.96 million tons, is up slightly from last year. Silage yield of 16.0 tons per acre is up 1.0 ton from last year. Producers harvested 310,000 acres of corn for silage, down 6% from last year. Corn area planted for all purposes, at 6.30 million acres, is up 10% from last year.
Sorghum for grain production in 2024 is estimated at 182 million bushels, up 8% from 2023. Yield, at 65.0 bushels per acre, is up 13.0 bushels from a year earlier. Area harvested for grain, at 2.80 million acres, is down 14% from 2023. Sorghum for silage production, at 563,000 tons, is down 48% from last year. Silage yield, at 12.5 tons per acre, is up 0.5 ton from last year. Area harvested for silage, at 45,000 acres, is down 45,000 acres from last year. Sorghum area planted for all purposes, at 3.00 million acres, is down 17% from last year.
Soybean production for 2024 totaled 155 million bushels, up 49% from 2023. Yield, at 35.0 bushels per acre, is up 9.0 bushels from a year earlier. Area for harvest, at 4.42 million acres, is up 11% from 2023. Soybean area planted, at 4.53 million acres, is up 2% from last year.
Alfalfa hay production, at 1.54 million tons, is down 31% from a year earlier. The average yield, at 2.65 tons per acre, is down 0.40 ton per acre from 2023. Area harvested, at 580,000 acres, is down 21% from 2023. Alfalfa for haylage and greenchop production, at 150,000 tons, is up 355% from last year. Average yield at 6.00 tons per acre, is up 3.80 tons from last year. Area harvested, at 25,000 acres, is up 10,000 from last year. Seedings of alfalfa during 2024 totaled 50,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from the year earlier.
All other hay production, at 2.33 million tons, is down 16% from last year. The average yield, at 1.50 tons per acre, is up 0.15 ton per acre from last year. Area harvested at 1.55 million acres, is down 25% from 2023. All other haylage and greenchop production, at 870,000 tons, is up 102% from last year. Average yield, at 8.70 tons per acre, is up 4.40 tons from last year. Area harvested, at 100,000 acres, is unchanged from last year.
Oil sunflower production in 2024 is 8.80 million pounds, down 64% from last year. Yield, at 1,000 pounds per acre, is up 70 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 8,800 acres, is down 66% from 2023. Area planted, at 9,500 acres, is down 18,500 acres from last year.
Non-oil sunflower production of 1.05 million pounds is down 75% from last year. Yield, at 1,050 pounds per acre, is up 200 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 1,000 acres, is down 4,000 acres from 2023. Area planted, at 1,000 acres, is down 5,000 acres from last year.
Canola production of 9.60 million pounds is up 2,186% from last year. Yield of 1,200 pounds per acre is up 600 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 8,000 acres, is up 7,300 acres from 2023. Area planted, at 8,500 acres, is up 7,000 acres from last year.
Cotton production of 200,000 bales is up 34% from last year. Yield of 774 pounds per acre is up 13 pounds from a year earlier. Area harvested, at 124,000 acres, is up 30,000 acres from 2023. Area planted, at 131,000 acres, is up 19,000 acres from last year.
Principal crop area planted totaled 23.9 million acres, down 5% from 2023. Area harvested, at 22.8 million acres, is up 6% from last year. Kansas principal crop acres include corn, sorghum, oats, barley, winter wheat, soybeans, sunflower, cotton, canola, and all hay. Double cropped acres and unharvested small grains planted as cover crops are also included.
