The recently released Prospective Plantings report predicts Ohio growers are going to plant fewer overall acres and less corn. Ohio’s principal acres have dropped off during the past three years, going from 9.87 million acres in 2022, to 9.85 million in 2023 and an anticipated 9.675 million acres in 2024.

The report estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of nearly 72,000 farm operators across the nation. It was released March 29 by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Ohio’s corn acreage is also expected to be down 8%, going from 3.6 million acres last year to 3.3 million this year.

The rest of the country’s corn growers are expected to do the same, as they intend to plant 90 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2024, a decrease of 5% from last year. Planted acreage is expected to be down or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states.

In addition to Ohio, corn acreage decreases of 300,000 acres or more from last year are expected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota and Texas. The planted acreage in Iowa will be the lowest since 2006, while the planted acreage in Montana will be the highest since 1958, according to the report.

Soybeans acreage inches up

Some of that acreage is undoubtedly going into soybean acres. In Ohio, it’s anticipated to inch closer to what it was in 2022 at 5 million acres for 2024. It was 5.1 million acres in 2022 and 4.75 million acres in 2023.

Nationally, soybean growers intend to plant 86.5 million acres in 2024, up 3% from last year. Soybean planted acreage intentions are up or unchanged in 24 of the 29 estimating states over the prior year.

In addition to Ohio, increases of 100,000 acres or more are anticipated in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Michigan and South Dakota. A decrease of 180,000 acres is expected in Kansas. If realized, the planted area in Kentucky and New York will be the largest on record.

Forecast for wheat, oats, hay

Ohio’s winter wheat acreage is expected to drop considerably, 16%, from 650,000 acres to 530,000 acres. However, it’s 20,000 more acres than in 2022.

The decline nationally, however, in winter wheat is anticipated to be less dramatic at 7%. Winter wheat acres for the country are estimated at 34.1 million acres. The only states expecting increased acreage from 2023 are Montana and Washington. If realized, Utah, Michigan and Virginia will have record-low planted areas.

Oats have dropped 10,000 acres each year since 2022 in Ohio, and are predicted at 30,000 acres for 2024.

Hay acreage has been consistent in Ohio for the past three years and is projected at 815,000 acres for 2024.

Grain stocks report

On March 29, NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks report to provide estimates of on-farm and off-farm stocks as of March 1. Key findings in that report include:

The Prospective Plantings, Grain Stocks and all other NASS reports are available at nass.usda.gov.