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A Farm Progress survey led by Farm Futures Magazine indicated a few more corn acres than the USDA Outlook projected in February, but still fewer than in 2025. Based on the cumulative numbers from all states in the survey, corn planting intentions in 2026 are expected to drop about 2.4 percent from 2025, or about half the drop that USDA projected in February.
“U.S. farmers are widely expected to slash corn plantings in 2026 as heavy supplies from last year’s record 17-billion-bushel harvest weigh on grain prices and pressure margins,” said Bruce Blythe, senior editor at Farm Futures.
A 2.4 percent drop in corn acreage from 2025 would result in farmers planting about 96.4 million acres, over two million lower than the USDA’s February prediction. Soybean acres could be up a million from the USDA’s estimate, and possibly reach over 86 million acres.
“Southern acres appear set to shift from unprofitable cotton and rice to more soybeans,” Blythe said.
NAFB news service
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