U.S. farmers

U.S. Farmers Expect to Plant More Corn and Less Soybean Acres

Dan Corn, Cotton, Field Crops, Soybeans, USDA-NASS, Wheat

U.S. farmers
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U.S. farmers surveyed intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn in 2025, up 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings Report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). 

Planted acreage intentions for corn are up or unchanged in 40 of the 48 estimating states. Acreage increases of 400,000 acres or more from last year are expected in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. 

Soybean growers intend to plant 83.5 million acres in 2025, down 4% from last year. Acreage decreases from last year of 300,000 or more are expected in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. 

NASS’s acreage estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of nearly 74,000 farm operators across the nation. Other key findings in the report are: 

  • All wheat planted area for 2025 is estimated at 45.4 million acres, down 2% from 2024. 
  • Winter wheat planted area, at 33.3 million acres, is down 2% from the previous estimate and down less than 1% from last year. 
  • Area planted to other spring wheat for 2025 is expected to total 10.0 million acres, down 6% from 2024. 
  • Durum wheat planted is expected to total 2.02 million acres for 2025, down 2% from last year.
  • All cotton planted area for 2025 is expected to total 9.87 million acres, down 12% compared to last year. 

NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks Report to provide estimates of on-farm and off-farm stocks as of March 1. Key findings in that report include: 

  • Corn stocks totaled 8.15 billion bushels, down 2% from the same time last year. On-farm corn stocks were down 11% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were up 12%. 
  • Soybeans stored totaled 1.91 billion bushels, up 4% from March 1, 2024. On-farm soybean stocks were down 6% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were up 13%. 
  • All wheat stored totaled 1.24 billion bushels, up 14% from a year ago. On-farm all wheat stocks were up 13% from last year, while off-farm stocks were up 14%.