mn-press-releases MINNESOTA AG NEWS USDA, NASS MN Dept of Agriculture MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107 Douglas Hartwig, Director Phone: (651) 296-2230 Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/ E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS Released: March 31, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTENDED MINNESOTA CORN ACREAGE DOWN 10 PERCENT FROM 2007 (NOTE: The acreage that farmers actually plant in Minnesota and the U.S. may change from those published in this report due to many factors, including availability of credit, commodity prices, changing weather conditions, and the availability of inputs at the time producers must make final planting decisions.) CORN growers in Minnesota intend to plant an estimated 7.6 million acres for all purposes, down 10 percent from last year’s record high 8.4 million acres. SOYBEAN growers intend to plant an estimated 7.1 million acres, up 14 percent from the planted acreage in 2007. The record high was set in 2003 with 7.5 million acres planted. SPRING WHEAT planting intentions are estimated at 1.9 million acres, up 12 percent from last year. The record high was 3.88 million acres planted in 1976. OAT planting intentions, at 230,000 acres, are down 15 percent from last year. BARLEY planting intentions fell 8 percent from last year as farmers intend to plant 120,000 acres. SUGARBEET planting intentions, of 432,000 acres, are down 54,000 acres from last year. ALL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 137,000 acres, are up 5 percent from 2007. OIL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 100,000 acres, are up 10,000 acres from 2007. NON-OIL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 37,000, are down 4,000 acres from last year. 2007 2008 2008/2007 Crop Planted Intentions -1,000 acres- Percent Corn 8,400 7,600 90 Soybeans 6,250 7,100 114 All Wheat 1,765 1,970 112 Spring Wheat 1,700 1,900 112 Winter Wheat 1/ 65 70 108 Oats 270 230 85 Barley 130 120 92 Dry Beans 150 130 87 Sugarbeets 486 432 89 Flaxseed 4 2 50 All Sunflower 131 137 105 Oil 90 100 111 Non-Oil 41 37 90 Canola 31 22 71 All Hay 2/ 1,880 1,900 101 1/ Acres planted in preceding fall. 2/ Harvested acres. U.S. HIGHLIGHT Corn Planted Acreage Down 8 Percent from 2007 Soybean Acreage Up 18 Percent All Wheat Acreage Up 6 Percent Corn growers intend to plant 86.0 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2008, down 8 percent from last year when corn planted area was the highest since 1944. Expected acreage is down from last year in most States as favorable prices for other crops, high input costs for corn, and crop rotation considerations are motivating some farmers to plant fewer acres to corn. Despite the decrease, corn acreage is expected to remain at historically high levels as the corn price outlook remains strong due in part to the continued expansion in ethanol production. Soybean producers intend to plant 74.8 million acres in 2008, up 18 percent from last year, but 1 percent below therecord high acreage in 2006. Acreage increases are expected in all States, except in West Virginia, which is unchanged from last year. The largestincreases are expected in Iowa and Nebraska, up 1.25 million acres and 1.20million acres from 2007, respectively. Increases of at least 800,000 acresare also expected in Indiana, Minnesota, and South Dakota. If realized, the planted acreage in Kansas, New York, and Pennsylvania will be the largest on record. All wheat planted area is estimated at 63.8 million acres, up 6 percent from 2007. The 2008 winter wheat planted area, at 46.8 million acres, is 4 percent above last year and up slightly from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 32.5 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 10.7 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.63 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2008 is expected to total 14.3 million acres, up 8 percent from 2007. Of this total, about 13.6 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. The intended Durum planted area for 2008 is 2.63 million acres, up 22 percent from the previous year.