WASHINGTON — U.S. 2011 corn production was forecast at 12,497,070,000 bus, down 3% from 12,914,085,000 bus forecast in August but up 50,205,000 bus from 12,446,865,000 bus in 2010. Soybean production was forecast at 3,085,340,000 bus, up 1% from 3,055,882,000 bus in August but down 7% from 3,329,341,000 bus last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its Sept. 12 Crop Production report.

The U.S.D.A. corn number was below the average pre-report trade estimate of 12,505 million bus, and the soybean number was above the pre-report average of about 3,025 million bus.

Based on Sept. 1 conditions, corn yield was forecast at 148.1 bus an acre, down 4.9 bus from 153 bus as both the August forecast and the final 2010 average yield. Harvested area was forecast at 84.4 million acres, unchanged from August but up 4% from 81.4 million acres in 2010.

Soybean yield was forecast at 41.8 bus an acre, up from 41.4 bus an acre in August but down 2.1 bus from 43.5 bus an acre in 2010. Harvested area was forecast at 73.8 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast and down 4% from 76.6 million acres in 2010.

The U.S.D.A. corn yield number was below the average trade forecast of 148.8 bus and acre, and the U.S.D.A. soybean yield estimate was above the trade average of 41 bus an acre.

U.S. 2011 rice production was forecast at 190,854,000 cwts, up 1% from 188,088,000 cwts in August but down 21% from 243,104,000 cwts in 2010.

Sorghum production in 2011 was forecast at 244,094,000 bus, up 1% from 240,638,000 bus in August but down 29% from 345,395,000 bus in 2010 and the lowest since 1956, the U.S.D.A. said.

Revised 2011 U.S. wheat production estimates will be released in the U.S.D.A. Small Grains Summary on Sept. 30.