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, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTENDED MINNESOTA CORN AND SOYBEAN ACREAGES DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM 2008 (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 slightly from last year’s planted acreage. SOYBEAN growers intend to plant an estimated 7.0 million acres, down slightly from the planted acreage in 2008. SPRING WHEAT planting intentions are estimated at 1.75 million acres, down 5 percent from last year. OAT planting intentions, at 240,000 acres, are down 4 percent from last year. BARLEY planting intentions fell 23 percent from last year to 100,000 acres. SUGARBEET planting intentions, of 445,000 acres, are up slightly from last year. ALL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 92,000 acres, are down 20 percent from 2008. OIL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 60,000 acres, are down 15,000 acres from 2008. NON-OIL SUNFLOWER planting intentions, of 32,000, are down 8,000 acres from last year. Crop 2008 2009 2009/2008 Planted Intentions -1,000 acres- Percent Corn 7,700 7,600 99 Soybeans 7,050 7,000 99 All Wheat 1,925 1,795 93 Spring Wheat 1,850 1,750 95 Winter Wheat 1/ 75 45 60 Oats 250 240 96 Barley 130 100 77 Dry Beans 150 155 103 Sugarbeets 440 445 101 Flaxseed 3 3 100 All Sunflower 115 92 80 Oil 75 60 80 Non-Oil 40 32 80 Canola 23 21 91 All Hay 2/ 1,950 1,950 100 1/ Acres planted in preceding fall. 2/ Harvested acres. U.S. HIGHLIGHTS Corn Planted Acreage Down 1 Percent from 2008 Soybean Acreage Up Slightly All Wheat Acreage Down 7 Percent Corn growers intend to plant 85.0 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2009, down 1 percent from last year and 9 percent below 2007. If realized, this will still be the third largest acreage since 1949. Expected acreage is down in many States as corn prices have retreated from last year’s record highs and input costs have remained unstable. Soybean producers intend to plant an estimated 76.0 million acres in 2009, up slightly from the acreage planted in 2008 and will be the largest on record, if realized. Tightening soybean supplies and lower input costs than corn have resulted in farmers intending to plant more soybean area this year. Compared with last year, the largest increase is expected in Kansas, up 200,000 acres. Increases of 100,000 acres or more are also expected in Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Ohio. Meanwhile, the States with the largest expected declines are Missouri and South Dakota, both down 150,000 acres. If realized, the planted acreage in Kansas and New York will be the largest on record, and the planted acreage in North Dakota will tie the previous record high. All wheat planted area is estimated at 58.6 million acres, down 7 percent from 2008. The 2009 winter wheat planted area, at 42.9 million acres, is 7 percent below last year and up slightly from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 30.9 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 8.38 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.65 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2009 is expected to total 13.3 million acres, down 6 percent from 2008. Of this total, about 12.7 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. The intended Durum planted area for 2009 is 2.45 million acres, down 10 percent from the previous year.