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Surging U.S. Corn Acreage and Iowa's Agricultural Lead

Surging U.S. Corn Acreage and Iowa's Agricultural Lead


According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report released on Friday, American farmers have expanded corn acreage by 6% this year, reaching a total of 94.1 million acres. Iowa, the leading corn-producing state, had previously announced plans to plant 13.1 million acres, reflecting a slight increase of 1.5% compared to 2022.

The USDA data, collected through surveys conducted in early June, encompasses 9,100 land segments and approximately 64,000 farm operations. However, the report does not provide a breakdown of the data by state.

On the other hand, soybean acreage across the United States has declined by 5% to 83.5 million acres in 2023.

The USDA report also highlighted the expected harvested acres, which are lower than the planted acres:

- Corn for grain: 86.3 million acres (up 9% from 2022)

- Soybeans: 82.7 million acres (down 4%)

- Wheat: 49.6 million acres (up 9%)

- Cotton: 11.1 million acres (down 19%)

The success of the corn harvest will depend on factors like rainfall, particularly in the Midwest region, where drought conditions persist. Despite some recent precipitation, about 80% of corn and soybean crops in Illinois and Iowa, which collectively contribute over a quarter of the nation's production, are still affected by the drought.

It is worth noting that 99% of corn grown in the U.S. is field corn, known as dent corn, primarily used for purposes such as ethanol production and animal feed. The remaining 1% is sweet corn. In Iowa specifically, 57% of field corn is allocated for ethanol production, while the rest is utilized in various food products, including cereal, cornstarch, and corn oil.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-klosfoto

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Categories: Iowa, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Harvesting, Weather

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