The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports today that U.S. corn growers planted 87.9 million acres this year, a 2 percent increase over 2009 but lower than a March report had predicted, surprising many analysts.

Some key corn-growing states such as Iowa have dropped in acreage but estimates show that Ohio farmers planted 250,000 more acres of corn than they did in 2009. The USDA estimates that 3.6 million acres are planted with corn in Ohio; an estimated 3.35 acres were planted last year.

But, the Ohio Corn Growers Association notes that even though estimates show more corn has been planted, farmers have done so by using less fertilizer and still obtaining strong yields per acre through modern technology. In fact, USDA figures show innovations in modern farming have slashed the need for fertilizer to grow a bushel of corn by 36 percent in the past three decades.

"Ohio has been a national leader in yields over the years, going beyond the national average and raising more corn on less land than they did 20 years ago" said Ohio Corn Growers Association Director Dwayne Siekman. "Corn farmers are producing an abundance of corn to meet national and international food, feed and fuel demand."

Nationwide, according to the USDA, the largest increases in planted acreage compared to last year are reported in Illinois and Kansas, both up 600,000 acres from 2009. Other notable increases were shown in Indiana, up 400,000 acres; Missouri, up 300,000 acres; and Ohio. The largest decrease in planted acreage is reported in Iowa, down 400,000 acres, while both Nebraska and South Dakota are down 350,000 acres from the previous year.