Projected shift in crop acreage
03 Apr 2007 -
The planting intentions report, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture, was released on 30 March 07.
Corn acreage across the U.S., is projected to increase 15.5% compared to 2006. Producers are slated to plant a total of 90.5 million corn acres, versus 78.3 million acres in 2006. This is the highest amount of corn acreage in the U.S. since 1944 (95.5 million acres of corn).
As expected, the increased corn acreage came primarily from a decrease in soybean acres. U.S. soybean acreage is projected to decrease 11.1% compared to 2006. U.S. producers are intending on planting 67.1 million soybean acres. It was a decade ago (1996), when total soybean acreage was similar to 2007 expectations. A significant shift to corn occurred in the southern states where cotton acreage was lessened by 20%.
Iowa still has the largest landbase devoted to corn production, with 13.9 million acres expected in 2007; this is the most corn planted in Iowa since 1981 when 14.4 million acres were planted. We had 12.6 million acres in 2006; thus 2007 projections are a 10.3% increase.
States in the south boast the largest percent change in acreage, with some increases greater than 200%, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Although the percent increases are substantial for these regions, the corn acreage is relatively low. Midwest and Corn Belt states generally range from 10 to 15% increase in corn acreage.
The complete ISU article, including graphics, can be found in the 2 April 07 issue of the Integrated Crop Management newsletter: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2007/4-2/acreage.html
The full 34 page USDA-NASS report can be accessed at:
For more information on corn production topics, please go to: www.agronext.iastate.edu/corn
