The latest federal forecast for the 2011 Nebraska corn crop is unchanged at 1.52 billion bushels, 3 percent higher than last year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast is based on Nov. 1 conditions. The yield forecast of 160 bushels an acre also is unchanged from the October forecast. The figure is 6 bushels below the 2010 figure.

The USDA had said three months ago that it expected a record 1.6 billion bushels from Nebraska's corn farmers. The state record of 1.58 billion bushels was set in 2009.

Soybean production is expected to drop to 257 million bushels, 2 percent less than the forecast last month and 4 percent below the 2010 crop. Yield is expected to average 53 bushels an acre, slightly above the 2010 figure of 52.2 bushels an acre.