Farmers ‘intend’ more corn acres

WASHINGTON — “I” state farmers intend to plant more corn and fewer soybeans this spring compared to last year, according to a prospective plantings report.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the survey-based planting plans March 31.

Illinois

Illinois corn growers intend to plant 11.1 million acres in 2025, up 3% from 2024′s 10.8 million. Soybean planted area is expected to total 10.5 million acres, down 3% from last year’s 10.8 million.

Illinois winter wheat area seeded last fall is estimated at 780,000 acres, a 1% increase from the previous year’s 770,000.

Area planted to oats is expected to increase by 10,000 acres from last year to 60,000 acres.

Producers intend to harvest 430,000 acres of all hay in 2025, down 3%, or 15,000 acres, from last year.

Indiana

Indiana farmers intend to plant 5.4 million acres of corn, 4% above last year’s 5.2 million.

The survey estimates Indiana producers intended to plant 5.7 million acres of soybeans, 2% lower than the 5.8 million last year.

The winter wheat acreage seeded last fall for harvest in 2025 is estimated at 320,000 acres, a 3% increase from the 310,000 crop seeded in the fall of 2023.

Hay acres intended for dry hay harvest, at 520,000 acres, is up 8% from last year’s 480,000.

Iowa

Iowa corn acres is projected at 13.5 million, a 600,000 acre hike from 2024, a 5% increase.

Producers intend to plant 9.6 million acres of soybeans in Iowa this year. This is 450,000 acres lower, or 4%, than 2024. Oat acres is projected at 150,000 acres, a 5,000 acre hike from a year ago.

Farmers in Iowa expect to harvest 1.01 million acres of all dry hay for the 2025 crop year, 10,000 acres above 2024.

United States

Nationally, corn planted area for all purposes in 2025 is estimated at 95.3 million acres, up 5%, or 4.73 million acres from last year.

Compared with last year, corn planted acreage is expected to be up or unchanged in 40 of the 48 estimating states.

Acreage increases of 400,000 acres or more from last year are expected in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Record high corn acreage is expected in Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon and South Dakota. Record low acreage is expected in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

U.S. soybean planted area for 2025 is estimated at 83.495 million acres, down 4% from last year’s 87.05 million.

Compared with last year, soybean planted acreage is down or unchanged in 23 of the 29 estimating states.

Decreases of 300,000 soybean acres or more are anticipated in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. If realized, the planted acres in New York and Ohio will be the largest on record.

All wheat planted area in the United States for 2025 is estimated at 45.35 million acres, down 2% from the 46.079 million in 2024. If realized, this represents the second lowest all wheat planted area since records began in 1919.

The nation’s 2025 winter wheat planted area, at 33.3 million acres, is 2% lower than the previous estimate and down less than 1% from last year. Of this total, about 23.6 million acres are hard red winter, 6.09 million acres are soft red winter and 3.66 million acres are white winter.

Area expected to be planted to other spring wheat for 2025 is estimated at 10 million acres, 6% below the 2024 estimate. Of this total, about 9.4 million acres are hard red spring wheat.

Durum planted area for 2025 is expected to total 2.02 million acres, down 2% from the previous year.

Survey Procedures

The acreage estimates in this report are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March.

The March Agricultural Survey is a probability survey that includes a sample of approximately 73,700 farm operators selected from a list of producers that ensures all operations in the United States have a chance to be selected.

Data from operators was collected by mail, internet, or telephone to obtain information on crop acreage intentions for the 2025 crop year.