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