April 2, 2012

South Dakota's corn, soy land seen to expand

This 2012, both the corn and soy acreage in South Dakota are anticipated to increase.

The Agriculture Department says in its annual spring planting report that South Dakota farmers intend to plant 5.5 million acres of corn, up 300,000 acres from 2011, and 4.3 million acres of soy, up 200,000 acres.

Spring wheat acres are pegged at 1.1 million, down 12% from last year, and durum wheat acres are unchanged at 8,000. Winter wheat acres seeded last fall totalled 1.35 million acres, down 18% over the year.

Acres of sunflowers, sorghum, oats, barley, flax and dry beans all are expected to be up in South Dakota this year.