April 9, 2020

US farmers to plant more corn, soybean acres for 2020

According to the USDA Prospective Plantings report, US farmers intend to plant more corn and soybean acres this year.

The report estimates 97.0 million acres of corn will be planted in 2020, an increase of 8% from 2019. Planted acreage intentions for corn are up or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states. South Dakota had the largest increase of 1.65 million acres from last year.

Soybean farmers intend to plant 83.5 million acres, up 10% from 2019. This would be the third highest planted acreage on record. Planted acreage is expected to be up or unchanged in 22 of 29 states estimated.

All wheat planted is estimated at 44.7 million acres, down 1% from 2019. This would be the lowest all-wheat planted area since records began in 1919.

The Prospective Plantings report is the USDA's first official survey estimates of farmers' 2020 planting intentions. The National Agricultural Statistics Service conducted surveys during the first two weeks of March from approximately 80,000 farmers throughout the US.