U.S. Farmers Plant Largest Corn Crop in 63 Years
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. farmers planted 92.9 million acres of corn in 2007 - the largest amount of acreage since 1944, and 19 percent more than was planted last year, according to the Acreage report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Iowa continued to lead all states in total corn acres and state records were set in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and North Dakota. The report attributes the increase to favorable prices, growing ethanol demand and strong export sales.
The increase in corn is offset by fewer acres of soybeans in the Corn Belt and Great Plains and fewer acres of cotton in the Delta and Southeast.
The report is based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of June on approximately 11,000 segments of land and from a sample of approximately 88,000 farm operators across the United States. The report and other information is available online at http://www.nass.usda.gov.
Iowa continued to lead all states in total corn acres and state records were set in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and North Dakota. The report attributes the increase to favorable prices, growing ethanol demand and strong export sales.
The increase in corn is offset by fewer acres of soybeans in the Corn Belt and Great Plains and fewer acres of cotton in the Delta and Southeast.
The report is based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of June on approximately 11,000 segments of land and from a sample of approximately 88,000 farm operators across the United States. The report and other information is available online at http://www.nass.usda.gov.