Washington ? The outlook for corn, soybean and cotton production remains grim as farmers in drought-stricken states near the end of this year’s harvest, according to the Agriculture Department’s forecast Tuesday.

Corn production is forecast at 9 billion bushels, down 5 percent from 2001 and the lowest since 1995. Rainfall did not delay the harvest in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, where yield prospects have increased slightly since October.

But the prospects were lowered in Ohio, where crops were planted late because of the drought.

The corn harvest was 77 percent complete on Nov. 3.

Soybean production is expected to be 7 percent lower than last year at 2.69 billion bushels. It would be the lowest soybean production since 1999. Nearly 87 percent of the nation’s soybeans were harvested by Nov. 3.

Wheat yields also were lowered this year. The Agriculture Department predicts it will be 1.62 billion bushels, down 17 percent from last year’s harvest.