According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, a survey conducted in early June by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agriculture Statistics Services reveals that Virginia’s farmers will plant three percent more soybeans than the previous year while corn acreage will decline eight percent. Tobacco, barley and wheat acreages were up nine percent, three percent and eleven percent respectively. Cotton acreage declined 19 percent and peanuts declined 30 percent. Producers will harvest one percent less hay acreage in 2013.
Soybean producers in Virginia planted 610,000 acres, 20,000 acres more than last year. As of June 23, 68 percent of Virginia’s soybean crop was planted with the majority of the crop in fair to good condition.
Corn producers reported that planting was completed at 470,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from last year. Corn producers expect to harvest 320,000 acres in 2013, which is down 30,000 acres when compared to 2012.
Virginia farmers planted 70,000 acres of cotton this year, a 16,000 acreage decrease from the previous year. As of June 23, 29 percent of Virginia’s cotton was squaring with the majority of cotton in fair to good condition.
Flue-cured tobacco acreage is up 3,000 acres to 23,000 acres when compared with 2012. Burley producers plan to harvest 1,700 acres, down 1,000 acres from a year ago. Four hundred acres are dedicated to fire-cured tobacco, an increase of 20 acres from 2012.
Peanut growers in the Commonwealth planted 14,000 acres, which is down 6,000 acres from 2012. Producers expect to harvest 14,000 acres of peanuts this year, also down 6,000 acres from the previous year.
Barley seeded acreage increased 2,000 acres from last year and is estimated at 67,000 acres. Barley producers anticipate harvesting 44,000 acres for grain, which is up 7,000 acres from last year. Ten thousand acres of oats were planted in Virginia, down 1,000 acres from the previous year. Producers expect to harvest 3,000 acres of oats for grain.
Overall Virginia hay decreased by 15,000 acres from last year at 1,290,000 acres. Hay acreage other than alfalfa, estimated at 1,200,000 acres, is down 20,000 acres. Alfalfa hay will be made on 90,000 acres, a 5,000 acre increase from 2012.
Winter wheat acres seeded last fall for this season were 310,000 acres, which is a 30,000 acres increase from 2012. Wheat producers are expecting to harvest 290,000 acres for grain, which is 50,000 acres more than a year ago.
Source: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer