Kansas Corn Plantings Estimated Up 16% Says Prospective Planting Report

NASS/USDA’s Prospective Planting Report was released today. It forecast Kansas Corn acres at 4.8 million acres—up 16% from 2015. Of the corn belt states, only North Dakota showed a greater increase with a 24% increase in planting expectations.

If realized, this still would not be a modern-day record. In 2011, Kansas planted 4.9 million acres, and in 2010, we planted 4.85 million acres.

Fun history fact: Kansas farmers planted over 7 million acres of corn in 1930. The yield in 1930 was 12.5 bushels per acre, producing 67 million bushels of grain with a total value of only $35 million. (Although 7 million acres were planted, only 5.4 million were harvested.)

Here is a link to the full US Prospective Plantings report. http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/pspl0316.pdf

KANSAS SUMMARY

TOPEKA, KS, March 31, 2016 – Kansas corn growers intend to plant 4.80 million acres this year, up 16 percent from 2015, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Soybean planted acreage is expected to be 3.85 million acres, down 1 percent from last year.

Winter wheat acres seeded in the fall of 2015 are estimated at 8.50 million, down 8 percent from last year.

Sorghum growers in Kansas intend to plant 3.15 million acres, down 7 percent from a year ago.