Nebraska Could Set Record Corn Acres

By Scout Nelson

As baseball season kicks off nationwide, the agriculture sector is also gearing up for a busy spring. The USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service recently released its prospective plantings report, offering insights into what producers intend to plant during the coming season. This year’s report suggests that Nebraska could see a record 10.6 million acres of corn planted, a five percent increase from last year, surpassing the current record of 10.2 million acres set in 2020.

This potential surge in corn acreage will likely come at the expense of soybean acres, which are projected to decline to five million in Nebraska. On a national level, the report forecasts 95.3 million acres of corn, up by five percent, while soybean acres are expected to drop to 83.5 million, down four percent from the previous year.

John Newton, an agricultural economist with Terrain, notes that total U.S. planting intentions are around 310 million acres, which would be one of the lowest levels in 30 years, aside from 2019 when extensive rainfall prevented the planting of many fields.

Within Nebraska, producers are projected to plant a total of 19.453 million acres to various crops, a slight decrease compared to last year. Apart from corn, only sunflowers and oats are expected to increase in planted acreage, rising by 10 percent and eight percent respectively.

On the other hand, certain crops face notable declines. Dry peas could drop by 50 percent, while dry beans are projected to decrease by eight percent. Sorghum may see a five percent decline, and harvested hay acreage is set to drop by nine percent, reflecting changing dynamics in the state’s crop mix.

By late May, most of Nebraska’s corn acres are typically in the ground, with soybeans usually planted by early June. Until planting finishes, commodity markets will rely on these USDA estimates to anticipate potential supply.

As spring arrives and the first seeds go into the soil, producers across Nebraska remain watchful, prepared for both the opportunities and challenges that come with the prospect of record-setting corn acres.

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