I respectfully disagree.  These numbers may be off because of sampling reasons or assumptions, etc but these average out over time.

I do NOT believe the USDA numbers are intentionally slanted for any reason whatsoever.

There is a rule in management that 2 people can keep a secret, 3 people can not.

There is no way hundreds or thousands of people who put these reports together could keep any manipulation a secret. Look at the NSA! even they can't keep a secret, for long.

People who claim manipulation often guessed wrong, imho.

I think some of the analysts who tend to maybe be a bit closer tend to be ones who walk fields in a wide area a bit more than ones who sit behind a computer and look at charts. Corn is grown over a much wider area than it used to be. Corn is now a significant crop in ND!

You can't judge US production looking out your window in Iowa or Illinois any more. Well I guess you can, but you are likely to be wrong.

jmho.

Jim