USDA is forecasting 89.2 million acres of planted corn in the U.S. in 2015, according to the annual Prospective Plantings report released on March 31. The estimate is down 2 percent from last year, but up slightly from the 89 million-acre forecast the agency gave in last month’s early-season projections.
“Planted acreage for 2015 is expected to be down across most of the Cornbelt, with the exceptions being Minnesota and Wisconsin, which are both expecting an increase in planted acreage from last year,” USDA said. If the 2015 forecast is realized, USDA said this will be the third consecutive year of an acreage decline, and the lowest planted corn acreage in the U.S. since 2010.
Soybean planted area for 2015 is estimated at a record high 84.6 million acres, up 1 percent from last year and also higher than the February early-season forecast of 83.5 million acres. “Compared with last year, planted acreage intentions are up or unchanged in 21 of the 31 major producing states,” USDA said, noting that increases of 200,000 acres or more are anticipated in Arkansas, Iowa, and Ohio. “If realized, the planted area in Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will be the largest on record,” USDA said.
All wheat planted area for 2015 is estimated at 55.4 million acres, down 3 percent from 2014 and down just slightly from the February early-season projection of 55.5 million acres. The 2015 winter wheat planted area, at 40.8 million acres, is down 4 percent from last year but up less than 1 percent from the previous estimate. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2015 is estimated at 13.0 million acres, down slightly from 2014. The intended durum planted area for 2015 is estimated at 1.65 million acres, up 18 percent from 2014.
All cotton planted area for 2015 is estimated at 9.55 million acres, down 13 percent from 2014 and also trailing USDA’s February early-season forecast of 9.7 million acres. “If realized, this will be the lowest planted acreage in the U.S. since 2009,” USDA said. “Growers in all states except Oklahoma are expected to reduce planted acreage from last year. If realized, planted area in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee would be record lows.”
Area planted to rice in 2015 is expected to total 2.92 million acres, down 1 percent from 2014 but up just slightly from the February early-season estimate of 2.90 million acres. “The expectation of lower prices for 2015 is contributing to the expected decline in rice acres compared with last year,” USDA said.