CoBank predicts United States farmers plant more acres to corn this year, fewer to soybeans and spring wheat.
Corn prices have been buoyed by tight global stocks, strong export demand and record ethanol production and profits in livestock and poultry so more feed will be made.
“While farmers tend to stick to historical crop rotations for agronomic reasons and market diversification, corn’s price rally relative to other crops suggests a major shift in acreage is in the offing,” said Tanner Ehmke, grains and oilseeds economist with CoBank.
“We’re still several weeks away from the start of planting season, which means the acreage balance is still in flux. Multiple factors could shift how acres are traded around the U.S., but the current price environment suggests corn will be king in 2025.”
Ehmke expects corn acres to increase by 4.2 per cent to 94.5 million, soybeans to decline by 3.6 per cent to 84 million and spring wheat acres in the Northern Plains by 5.9 per cent.
He said tariffs on Canadian canola and canola oil and continued adverse weather for wheat in Russia could moderate those projected acreage declines.
