Corn planted in 2018 for all purposes by Minnesota producers is estimated at 7.8 million acres, according to the latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Acreage report released by the Upper Midwest Field Office.

This is a decrease of 3% from 2017, but 300,000 acres above the March intentions. An estimated 7.4 million acres are expected to be harvested for grain.

Producers reported planting biotechnology varieties on 93% of their 2018 corn acres. The percent of corn acreage planted to insect-resistant (Bt) varieties is estimated at 1%; herbicide-resistant-only varieties were planted on 9% of the acres; and stacked gene varieties were planted on 83% of the acres.

Acreage planted to soybeans is estimated at 7.80 million acres, a decrease of 4% from the record-high acres planted in 2017, and 100,000 acres below the March intentions. An expected 7.74 million acres of soybeans will be harvested.

If realized, this would be the second-largest harvested acres on record for Minnesota, 350,000 acres below the record-high harvested acres in 2017. Producers reported using herbicide-resistant varieties to plant 95% of their 2018 soybean acres.

Spring wheat planted in Minnesota is estimated at 1.6 million acres — 440,000 acres above last year, but unchanged from the March intentions. Spring wheat harvested for grain is forecast at 1.56 million acres, up 430,000 acres from last year.

If realized, this would be the largest spring wheat acreage harvested in Minnesota since 2008.

Winter wheat planted acreage is estimated at 11,000 acres, with an expected 7,000 acres harvested for grain.

Oats planted acreage is estimated at 250,000, up 80,000 acres from last year and 20,000 acres above the March intentions. An estimated 120,000 acres are expected to be harvested for grain.

Fall potato acreage in Minnesota is estimated at 44,000 acres, down 2,000 acres from the previous year. Fall potato planted acreage by type of potato consists of 69% russets, 19% reds, 10% whites and 2% yellows.

Total dry hay expected to be harvested for 2018 is estimated at 1.4 million acres, up 20,000 acres from 2017. Alfalfa harvested acreage is up 20,000 acres from last year to an estimated 890,000 acres. Other hay harvested acreage is estimated at 510,000 acres, unchanged from 2017.

Sugarbeet acreage is estimated at 410,000 planted acres, 10,000 acres below 2017 and 13,000 acres below the March intentions. An expected 395,000 acres of sugarbeets will be harvested.

National corn, soybean plantings down slightly
Across the U.S., corn planted area for all purposes in 2018 is estimated at 89.1 million acres, down 1% from last year. Compared with last year, planted acres are down or unchanged in 31 of the 48 estimating states. Area harvested for grain, at 81.8 million acres, is down 1% from last year.

Soybean planted area for 2018 is estimated at 89.6 million acres, down 1% from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is down or unchanged in 14 of the 31 estimating states.

All wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.8 million acres, up 4% from 2017. This represents the second-lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919.

The 2018 winter wheat planted area, at 32.7 million acres, is up less than 1% from last year and up slightly from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 23.2 million acres are hard red winter, 5.89 million acres are soft red winter and 3.62 million acres are white winter.

Area planted to other spring wheat for 2018 is estimated at 13.2 million acres, up 20% from 2017. Of this total, about 12.7 million acres are hard red spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2018 is estimated at 1.89 million acres, down 18% from the previous year.

Source: Upper Midwest Field Office, USDA NASS