A 5 per cent increase is expected in corn plantation acreage in the US, according to the prospective plantings report released by the US Department of Agriculture. 

The report, based on a survey of actual farmer intentions in March, states farmers intend to plant 92.2 million corn acres in 2011.  This is a 5 percent increase from 2010 and up 7 percent from 2009.  If realised, it will be the second highest corn planting in the United States since 1944.  This is just behind the 93.5 million acres planted in 2007.

“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,” NCGA president Bart Schott said.  “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.”

The USDA’s estimate for 2011 is for 92.2 million acres to be planted in field corn.  Assuming a 91.7 percent harvest rate and the USDA’s projected yield of 162 bushels per acre, farmers will grow 13.7 billion bushels on 84.5 million harvested acres.

In the report, USDA also estimated soybean producers intend to plant 76.6 million acres, down one percent from last year; wheat planted intentions are estimated at 58.0 million acres, up 8 percent from 2010; and cotton plantings for 2011 are expected to total 12.6 million acres, 15 percent above last year.