With commodity prices significantly higher than last spring, U.S. farmers plan to plant 3.99 million (4.5 percent) more corn acres, 3.89 million (8.2 percent) more wheat acres, and 1.59 million (15 percent) more cotton acres than last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s March 31 Prospective Plantings report. The findings continue to support strong fertilizer demand this spring, even after the brisk plowdown volumes applied last fall.
The report, compiled by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), provides the first official, survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ 2011 planting intentions for 21 major crops. Some 85,000 farm operators across the U.S. were surveyed from Feb. 26 to March 17. In all, farmers reported intentions of planting 323.8 million acres across the 21 major crops surveyed for the report, a 7.09 million (2.2 percent) increase from 2010, but still 1.21 million acres below the 2008 total.
Corn growers intend to plant 92.2 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2011, the report said. If realized, this will be the second highest planted acreage in the U.S. since 1944, behind only the 93.5 million acres planted in 2007. Acreage increases of 250,000 or more are expected in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota. The largest increase is expected in South Dakota, where growers intend to plant an additional 850,000 acres compared to last year, when wet field conditions hampered planting. Iowa and North Dakota acreage is expected to increase 500,000 and 450,000, respectively. The largest decrease in planted acreage is expected in Texas, down 150,000 acres due to an increase in cotton acreage.
Assuming a 91.7 percent harvest rate and the USDA’s projected yield of 162 bushels per acre, U.S. corn farmers will grow 13.7 billion bushels on 84.5 million harvested acres in 2011.
“Even after a difficult growing season last year, farmers produced the third largest crop and it initially shows they will produce another record crop this year,” said Bart Schott, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). “This report shows that the innovative American farmer understands the increasing global demands of corn for food, feed, fuel, and fiber, and that they see the importance of meeting those needs.”
Area planted to soybeans is expected to be 76.6 million acres, down 1 percent from last year. If realized, this will be the third largest planted soybean crop on record in the U.S. Compared with last year, planted acreage declines of 100,000 or more are expected in Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Ohio, while record soybean crops are anticipated in New York and North Dakota.
Cotton acreage increases are expected in every state, for a total of 12.6 million acres, 15 percent above last year. The largest increase, at 548,000 acres, is expected in Texas. Acreage increases of more than 100,000 are expected in North Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi.
The 2011 wheat planted area is estimated at 58.0 million acres. Of this, 41.2 million acres is winter wheat planted area, 10 percent above last year and up 1 percent from the previous estimate.
U.S. acres planted to all rice 2011 are projected at 3.018 million, down 17 percent from last year’s 3.636 million, and some 4 percent below 2009’s 3.135 million acres.
NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks report on March 31, showing corn stocks in all positions at 6.52 billion bushels as of March 1. This is down 15 percent from last year.
Soybeans stored in all positions on March 1 totaled 1.25 billion bushels, down 2 percent from a year ago, while all wheat stored totaled 1.42 billion bushels, up 5 percent from March 1, 2010.
Rough rice stocks in all positions on March 1, 2011, totaled 121 million hundredweight, up 16 percent from the same time last year.
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