August Crop Production report offers bright outlook for soybeans, cotton
Aug. 13, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- August Crop Production report increases soybean, cotton, long-grain rice acres
- Soybeans could see 57 bushels per acre, a new record
(861 words)
JONESBORO, Ark. — The August Crop Production report revealed sizeable and surprising acreage increases in soybeans, cotton and long-grain rice, as well as the potential for record-breaking soybean yields.
Wednesday’s report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service gave industry analysts its first boots-on-the-ground look at this year’s acres, based on late July grower surveys.
NASS reported 3.45 million acres of soybeans in Arkansas, up from the 3.2 million in the June Acreage report.
Arkansas cotton acres grew from June’s 470,000 to 560,000. Corn fell from 830,000 acres in the June report to 760,000 acres. Total rice acres rose from 851,000 to 901,000 thanks to a 50,000-acre increase in long-grain rice acres.
RICE
Extension Rice Agronomist Jarrod Hardke said there was a lot to unpack in this month’s report.
“I was expecting rice acres to land between 800,000 and the 850,000 estimated in the June Acreage report,” Hardke said. “I was low on that estimate given the jump to 900,000 acres.”
Scott Stiles, extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said that “even with the increase in rice acres, they are still the lowest since 1977.”
However, “the 50,000-acre increase this month in long-grain rice is really a surprise. I didn’t see that one coming,” Stiles said.
“There were some in the industry who felt like there might be more acres found and clearly they were right, but I don't think anyone was prepared for a 50,000-acre increase in long-grain over the June report,” Hardke said.
Rice yield was projected to be 7,450 pounds per acre, down 30 pounds from last year.
“The yield estimate being used is similar to last year when yields were down, but there may be an explanation for that,” Hardke said. “A higher percentage of acres was planted to lower-yielding but higher-value varieties this year that may drag the overall yield average down even though they’re a more profitable option.”
Hardke said the certified acreage report from the USDA Farm Service Agency provided additional insights.
“Four of the counties most affected by spring flooding in 2025 — Jackson, Lawrence, Craighead, and Randolph — didn't see the same type of acreage reduction as many other areas of the state,” he said. “This was a known wildcard this year given the large amount of prevented planting forced on that area last year, but all four actually saw slight increases in rice planted acreage this year rather than the major reductions seen in most other counties.”
SOYBEANS
In addition to a leap in acres, the yield outlook for soybeans is bright.
“The forecast of 57 bushels per acre would be a record,” Stiles said. “The previous records were 55 bushels in 2025 and 2024.”
“The 250,000-acre increase to 3.45 million for soybeans would be the highest total since 2017,” Stiles said.
COTTON and PEANUTS
Zachary Treadway, extension cotton and peanut agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said he wasn’t too surprised to see increases in both crops.
“Following the June numbers, I talked to numerous producers and garnered acreage numbers from other sources that pointed toward substantially more acres than reported,” Treadway said.
However, “I am still surprised at the amount of acres that cotton jumped,” he said. “I was thinking cotton would land somewhere around 520,000.
“If these 560,000 acres hold true, it will surpass last year by 40,000 acres,” Treadway said. “The increase in price led producers to planting more cotton than we initially expected.”
Stiles said the forecast cotton yield of 1,341 pounds per acre ties the 2024 record and is up from last year's 1,239 pounds.
Both Stiles and Treadway had a wait-and-see attitude about how cotton would finish.
“In Monday's Crop Progress report, the crop was rated 77 percent good/excellent compared to 69 percent last year for the same week,” Stiles said. “The crop looks great and has lots of potential.”
Treadway said, “the predicted yield of 1,341 would be nice, but it is way too early, on Aug. 12 in the middle of a drought and heat wave, to try and predict yield.”
As for peanuts, “the acreage number is right where I expected,” Treadway said. “It was still a decrease from last year, but such was the case nationwide, and 40,000 Arkansas acres seems accurate.”
CORN
Stiles said corn is forecast at 185 bushels per acre, just 2 bushels per acre short of the 2024 record of 187.
“Harvest is underway,” he said. “Yield reports are encouraging for the most part. Acres were reduced 70,000 this month and puts us 50,000 below last year. That makes sense given the loss of some acres to freeze in mid-March and the sharp run-up in Urea prices around the same time.
Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist, said the report had “no real surprise on corn yields.”
“Arkansas corn growers are harvesting and expecting good yields, and 185 bushels per acre is only slightly higher than last year,” Kelley said. “It will be interesting to see if the 185 bushel-per-acre average holds as we enter more widespread harvest over the next couple of weeks, given the heat at the end of grain fill, which tends to reduce yields.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture,
communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices.
Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service,
the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s
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The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system
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Media Contact:
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