(Continued from page 35)

21 percent in Illinois, 12 percent in Nebraska and 10 percent in Iowa.
• Fifty-two percent of the nation's corn crop was listed as being in poor or very poor shape as of Monday, unchanged from a week earlier, the USDA said. Soybean harvests are just 4 percent complete, with 36 percent of that overall crop considered poor or very poor, just 1 percent better than a week earlier.
• In its crop-expectation update Wednesday, the USDA kept its estimate of the total area of corn harvested for grain at 87.4 million acres, bucking predictions from some analysts that the figure would drop given reports of farmers chopping down underdeveloped corn plants to feed their livestock. But the yield per acre estimate this month dropped from 123 bushels last month to 122.8 bushels.
• Farmers planted more corn this year than in any other since 1937, meaning that despite one of the nation's worst droughts in decades the U.S. is expected to produce its eighth largest corn crop on record.
• Total corn production for this season is now forecast at 10.73 billion bushels, down slightly from last month's estimate. Farmers planted about 96 million acres in corn, a large increase from just a decade ago when less than 80 million acres were planted.
• Wednesday's report is expected to stabilize corn prices, which have been at near record highs, and to help farmers who depend on the grain to feed livestock.
• Soybean production was projected at 2.63 billion bushels in the report, down 58 million from last month's estimate due to lower yields in the Midwest.
•

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The South Dakota Supreme Court says a Hells Angels Motorcycle Club member will not remain free on bail while he appeals his assault conviction from a fight at last year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
• George Caruso of Shirley, Mass., was convicted of simple assault and sentenced to 360 days in jail for his role in a brawl between rival motorcycle clubs in Sturgis. Court documents say Caruso punched another person, which led to a brawl in which two people were stabbed.
• Circuit Judge Jerome A. Eckrich denied Caruso's request to be released on bail while he appealed his conviction. Eckrich ruled Caruso was a flight risk.
• The Supreme Court upheld the circuit judge's ruling, saying he considered all the required factors in refusing to release Caruso on bail.
•

(Continued on page 37)