Soybeans
Soybean production in Mississippi has experienced many changes over the years. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, state average yields were 21 and 26 bushels per acre, respectively. During the 2000s, Mississippi’s average yield increased to 34 bushels per acre. Since that time, soybean production has improved substantially with a current state record of 54 bushels per acre set in 2018 and tied for the record three more times in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Soybean is currently the top-row crop and number two on the list of agricultural commodities in Mississippi behind poultry. The estimates for the 2023 annual summary for MS soybean are 2.13 million acres harvested with 119,280,000 bushels produced averaging 56 bushels per acre. The 2023 total production value for soybeans in Mississippi is estimated at nearly $1.6 billion. These data are according to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service.
Mississippi soybean producers are commonly planting maturity Groups IV and V soybean varieties, with the majority of the state’s acreage being planted by the end of May each year. There are many management decisions required for successful soybean production. These decisions include but are not limited to, variety selection, planting date, pest management, irrigation management, and nutrient requirements. Such decisions will vary depending on factors such as production location or issues that may occur within a given year. Many sources of information are available regarding soybean management in Mississippi. These resources should be utilized to ensure that the best management practices are incorporated for successful soybean production.
Publications
News
RAYMOND, Miss. -- Mississippi soybean producers may qualify for free nematode testing through the Mississippi State University Extension Service Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. Limited free tests are available between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Market corn prices are more than $2 lower per bushel than a year ago, so row crop producers in Mississippi are planning to plant less corn and more cotton in 2024.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi agriculture’s value of production fell 10.3% in 2023, but still posted its second highest result on record at $8.8 billion.
Success Stories
Gaddis & McLaurin might sound more like the name of a law firm than a general store, but the name is synonymous with all manner of dry goods in the Hinds County community of Bolton and has been since the 1870s.
Sledge Taylor is no stranger to cover crops —he first planted vetch on 100 acres of his Panola County farmland in 1979—but he has ramped up his cover crop usage and added other sustainable agricultural practices over the past 15 years.
With 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and cotton, row crops are the most abundantly grown commodity on Philip Good’s land, but he has made strides during nearly 45 years of farming to diversify his inventory.
