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USDA expects less planted area in 2024

U.S. farmers are expected to plant crops on fewer acres this year.

USDA chief economist Seth Meyer says that’s partly because of a slow but steady decline in principle crop area.

“You lose some ag land to other uses (every year). But the biggest noise from year to year is what the weather is at planting time. And whether it’s wide open and you get in, or whether there’s some place around the country there’s often a prevent-plant issue.”

USDA’s combined acreage projection for corn, soybeans, and wheat is one percent lower than a year ago at 225.5 million.

Meyer tells Brownfield weather will have the final say.

“Don’t read too much in terms of (the) economics (playing into) acreage swings as much as often for these crops that we assume normal weather going forward and a normal prevent-plant.”

USDA is forecasting corn planted area at 91 million acres for 2024 a decrease of more than three million and soybeans at 87.5 million compared to 83.6 million in 2023.