It has been a while since Missouri farmers grappled with how many acres to designate to corn. But as they watched their golden commodity drop in price, some growers are reconsidering their planting decisions.

"Some guys are switching to more beans and less corn because of the current price of corn," says George Quinn, a row crop farmer and Pioneer dealer from Chillicothe. "For my customers the switch is driven pretty much by price, but in the next couple of months that could change. We will just have to see how we end up."

In northwestern Missouri, farmers are looking at switching ground because of not only the lower price for corn, but also the continual high cost of inputs.

RISE OF THE BEAN: With the lower price of corn and continuing higher input costs, for the first time in recent years, planting decisions are changing on the farm.

"My seed customers right now are focused on input cost," says Gary Hughes, a farmer and Pioneer dealer from Rosendale. While Hughes says not many farmers in his area are changing planting decisions, those that are, are doing it because of the cost of inputs. "Soybeans just have lower input costs than corn."

According to the latest Farm Futures survey, producers are ready to slash corn plantings to 92.3 million acres, down 3.7% from the total USDA estimates in November 2013. And the ground coming out of corn production is likely to end up in soybeans. The survey found that farmers want to plant 82.34 million acres of beans in 2014, up 7.6 million acres over 2013. If the numbers hold true, it could easily put the 2014 soybean crop at record levels.

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"When we first surveyed growers in late July and early August the ratio of new crop soybeans to corn was trading around 2.36 to 1," explains Bryce Knorr, senior editor of Farm Futures, who conducted the research. "During December the ratio reached 2.58 to 1, providing a clear edge to soybeans, while projected corn profitability dropped to break-even levels."

Why switch?
Ken Wells will be putting soybeans back into his corn-on-corn rotation. At his Union Star farm in northwest Missouri, Wells plants roughly 600 acres of continuous corn every year. However, this year he plans to break the cycle. "With the price the way it is, this coming year there may not be as much planted back to corn," he explains. "Bean prices are just higher."

When revisiting with farmers to solidify seed bookings in January, Hughes found that for some farmers the switch will be determined by whether anhydrous was fall applied. "A couple of the guys in the past couple of days did not put down anhydrous and commented that they were not going to fight the mess next spring to get it on, so they are switching to soybeans."

Why not?
While economics will shift some acres away from corn, there are still farmers who are sticking with their original planting intentions.

Hughes plans to leave his farm acres in the same 50/50 corn-soybean rotation.  "I have been at this enough years, that I am not going to chase the market," he says. He also reminds farmers that some ground is just not suitable for bean production. "The bottom line is that you plant your best crop on your best ground."

For Quinn, who has been selling seed for 25 years, the final decision for many growers will come in the spring. He finds that if the state sees a nice spring there will be more farmers wanting to get out early and plant, so they will chose corn. "A real nice spring will move corn acres one way or another more than price."