PRESS RELEASE

Released: June 29, 2001

Kansas growers planted 20.2 million acres to the four major crops (wheat, sorghum, corn, and soybeans), up 3 percent from 2000. Wheat seeded last fall totaled 9.9 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but up 1 percent (100,000 acres) from last year. Acreage for harvest is expected to be 8.4 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but 11 percent (1,000,000 acres) below a year ago.

Sorghum acreage planted and to be planted, at 4.0 million acres, is up 14 percent from last year. Kansas ranks first in the nation in sorghum acreage. The acreage intended for harvest as grain, at 3.75 million acres, is up 17 percent from last year.

Corn planted acreage, at 3.3 million acres, is 4 percent below last year's planted acres. Farmers planted 38 percent of their corn acreage with varieties developed using biotechnology. Twenty-six percent of the acreage was planted with insect resistant only varieties containing bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and eleven percent of the acreage with herbicide resistant varieties developed using biotechnology. Stacked gene varieties, those containing both insect and herbicide resistance, were planted on 1 percent of the corn acreage. Acreage expected to be harvested for grain is 3.1 million acres, down 3 percent from last year.

Soybean plantings are expected to total 3.0 million acres, 2 percent above a year ago and the largest planted acreage of soybeans in Kansas history. Producers planted 80 percent of the soybean acreage to herbicide resistant varieties in 2001. Expected acreage for harvest, at 2.9 million acres, is 16 percent above last year and, if realized, will be the largest harvested acreage for soybeans in Kansas history.

Oats planted in 2001, at 100,000 acres, is 9 percent below last year. Oats expected to be harvested for grain, at 45,000 acres, is down 5,000 acres from the previous year. Barley planted acreage, at 7,000 acres, decreased 1,000 acres from last year. Expected acreage for harvest, at 7,000 acres, is unchanged from last year. All sunflowers planted, at 330,000 acres, and oil type varieties planted, at 300,000 acres, are both record highs. Non-oil varieties are planted on 30,000 acres. All sunflowers harvested, at 318,000 acres, and oil type varieties, at 290,000 acres, will also be record highs, if realized. Hay acreage to be harvested is expected to total 3.3 million acres, up 18 percent from last year. Of the total hay acreage, 950,000 acres are alfalfa hay, up 50,000 acres from last year. Acreage of dry beans planted, at 15,000 acres, is down 3,000 acres from last year. Harvested acreage is forecast at 14,000 acres. Cotton acreage is estimated at 44,000 acres in 2001, up 4,000 acres from last year.

Sorghum grain in all positions totals 34.8 million bushels, 33 percent below last year's level. Off-farm stocks accounted for 26.8 million bushels and on-farm stocks for 8.0 million bushels.

Kansas corn stocks in all locations, at 111.0 million bushels, are 4 percent higher than last June. Off-farm stocks are 78.0 million bushels, which account for 70 percent of the total corn stocks. On-farm stocks at 33.0 million bushels, are unchanged from last June.

Off-farm oat stocks are 329,000 bushels, down 47 percent from last June.

Kansas soybeans in all locations total 18.3 million bushels, a 30 percent decrease from June 2000. Off-farm stocks, at 13.3 million bushels, are down 30 percent from last year and account for 73 percent of the total soybean stocks. On- farm stocks total 5.0 million bushels, down 2 million bushels from the previous year.

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