Corn and wheat acreage falls, soybeans and cotton surge in 2024
By Farms.com
The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has recently updated their Acreage report for the year 2024, showing dynamic shifts in the planting of key crops.
This year, corn acreage has decreased to 91.5 million acres, a 3% drop from the previous year, with biotech varieties making up 94% of the crop. Conversely, soybean acreage has increased by 3%, totaling 86.1 million acres, with a notable 96% of these being herbicide-resistant varieties.
Additionally, cotton has shown a robust increase in planting, with all cotton areas reaching 11.7 million acres, which is a 14% increase. This includes Upland cotton at 11.5 million acres and a significant rise in American Pima cotton by 24%.
Wheat has seen a general decline with a 5% decrease, with winter wheat down by 8%, though durum and other spring wheat have seen increases of 29% and 1%, respectively.
Data for the report was gathered through extensive surveys conducted over two weeks in early June, involving nearly 64,000 farm operators across the U.S. These insights are vital for understanding the changes in agricultural trends and preparing for future market conditions.
This information serves not just farmers but also policymakers and industry stakeholders, highlighting the adaptive strategies in crop production based on environmental and economic factors.