The USDANational Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) latest acreage report is showing corn and soybean planted acreage is up 2% from 2009 on both accounts. Cotton planting took a big leap with a 19% increase. Wheat acres are odd man out with an acreage decrease of 8%.
Corn planted area for all purposes in 2010 is estimated at 87.9 million acres, up 2% from last year. The largest increases in planted acreage compared to last year are reported in Illinois and Kansas, both up 600,000 acres from 2009. Other notable increases were shown in Indiana, up 400,000 acres; Missouri, up 300,000 acres; and Ohio, up 250,000 acres. The largest decrease in planted acreage is reported in Iowa, down 400,000 acres, while both Nebraska and South Dakota are down 350,000 acres from the previous year.
Soybean planted area for 2010 is estimated at a record high 78.9 million acres, up 2% from last year. Area for harvest, at 78.0 million acres, is also up 2 percent from 2009, and will be the largest harvested area on record, if realized. Compared with last year, planted acreage increased by 300,000 acres or more in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska. The states with the largest declines compared with last year are Arkansas, down 270,000 acres, and North Carolina, down 250,000 acres. Record-high planted acreage is estimated in Kansas, Nebraska, New York and Pennsylvania, and planted area will tie the previous record high in Minnesota and Oklahoma.