The most recent acreage report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service surprised many analysts when it showed an increase in planted corn acreage of 6% from 2022, while soybean acreage was down by 5%. The report shifted acres planted to soybeans down to 83.5 million from the 87.51 million acres reported in the March Planting Intentions report.
Some ag outlets characterized the report as “fireworks” on this Fourth of July weekend. “As we analyze the numbers released by USDA, it’s important to step back, reflect, and look at the forest through the trees,” said U.S. Soybean Export Council CEO Jim Sutter.
Marty Ruikka, market analyst and president of The ProExporter Network, noted that wheat has had “a really good year” with 50 million acres planted, up 4.2 million acres from the previous year.
Acres planted for all purposes in 2023 were estimated at 94.1 million acres, up 6% or 5.52 million acres from last year. This represents the third highest planted acreage in the United States since 1944.
Compared with last year, planted acreage was expected to be up or unchanged in 43 of the 48 estimating states.
The total area harvested for grain, at 86.3 million acres, was up 9% from last year. The soybean planted area for 2023 was estimated at 83.5 million acres, down 5% from last year. Planted acreage was down or unchanged in 21 of the 29 estimating states compared to last year.
Wheat acreage up
All wheat planted areas for 2023 were estimated at 49.6 million acres, up 9% from 2022. The 2023 winter wheat planted area, at 37.0 million acres, was up 11% from last year, but down 1% from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 25.7 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 7.66 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.68 million acres are White Winter.
The area expected to be planted to other spring wheat for 2023 was estimated at 11.1 million acres, up 3% from 2022. Of this total, about 10.5 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. The Durum planted area for 2023 was expected to total 1.48 million acres, down 9% from the previous year.
Cotton way down
All the cotton planted area for 2023 was estimated at 11.1 million acres, down 19% from last year and down from the March reported intentions of 11.3 million acres. The upland area was estimated at 11 million acres, down 19% from 2022. The American Pima area was estimated at 109,000 acres, down 40% from 2022. In response, O.A. Cleveland wrote in Cotton Grower magazine, “Either the U.S. economy or that of other major countries must show promise before cotton demand will be uncovered. To date, the U.S. economy is mired in escalating interest rates, ongoing inflation, and poor to declining [cotton] productivity. In a word, demand is puny.” The U.S. is the world’s primary cotton supplier.
David Murray can be reached at [email protected].
