A
monthly report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a large
number of agricultural commodities. The reports are closely watched because
their contents explain what the supply is likely to be, which causes prices to
rise or fall. The reports focus on the amount of acreage that has been planted
and the expected and actual crop yield (how much product is produced from one
acre of land). Crop reports are watched closely for commodities markets such as
the wheat, corn, cotton, and soybean markets.