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PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS



News Release

March 31, 2005


CORN AND SOYBEAN ACRES EXPECTED TO DECREASE


SIOUX FALLS, March 31, 2005 _ Producers in South Dakota intend to plant 250,000 fewer acres of corn and 100,000 fewer acres of soybeans, but 200,000 more acres of spring wheat this year, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Office. These intentions are based on a March 1 survey. Any planting changes due to weather or other factors will be accounted for when actual plantings are obtained in early June.

Corn plantings are expected to be 4.40 million acres, down 5 percent from 2004.

Soybean plantings are expected to total 4.05 million acres, down 2 percent from last year. This would be the lowest number of acres planted since 1998.

All hay harvested acreage is estimated at 4.20 million acres, up 8 percent from last year.

Winter wheat acres seeded last fall totaled 1.50 million acres, down 9 percent from a year earlier.

Other spring wheat seeding intentions are at 1.80 million acres, up 13 percent from 2004, and would be the highest number of acres seeded since 1998 when 1.90 million acres were seeded.

Durum wheat seeding intentions, at 18,000 acres, are down 10 percent from last year.

Sunflower acreage is expected to total 600,000 acres, up 38 percent from last year. Oil sunflowers will account for 550,000 acres, up 34 percent from 2004. Non-oil sunflowers account for 50,000 acres, double the number of acres from 2004.

Sorghum planted acreage is expected to total 250,000 acres, unchanged from last year.

Oats to be seeded, estimated at 390,000 acres, are up 3 percent from 2004.

Barley seedings, estimated at 70,000 acres, are unchanged from 2004, and tied 2004's record low seedings.

Flax seedings, estimated at 25,000 acres, are up 15,000 acres from 2004.

Dry edible bean planting intentions, estimated at 20,000 acres, are up 11,000 acres from last year.


The complete report can be accessed at www.usda.gov/nass/

or call Carter Anderson or Steve Noyes at

605-330-4235

        

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