Corn acreage in South and Northeast Texas will inch up a bit in 2016 compared to last year, but overall the state acreage should remain close to last year’s 2.3 million.

“Most of the corn is in the ground in South Texas,” says Stephanie Pruitt, communications director, Texas Corn Producers Board and Corn Producers Association of Texas, in Lubbock. “Acreage there is up a little compared to last year.” Some anticipated wheat acreage was not planted last fall because of wet conditions and some farmers planted corn on that ground.

“Corn planting is not quite done in Northeast Texas," Pruitt adds. “They are working fast to get it all in. Last year this area was hit hard by spring rain and prevented planting.” She says producers are about in “the middle of planting season. Corn usually does well in Northeast Texas.”

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She anticipates High Plains corn acreage to be close to last year and “more of a normal crop mix. We have had more rain since fall, so we might pick up a few more acres. It will be interesting to watch.”

She says the High Plain region accounts for a lot of Texas’ corn production. Most is irrigated. “We occasionally see some good dryland corn, but rainfall has to be timely.”

 Planting in the High Plains is several weeks off. “They usually don’t start until April,” Pruitt says. And planting date has been pushed back the last few years. “A later planting date allows producers to use irrigation water more efficiently. That shift has happened just in recent years.”