The Acreage report released by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Friday shows 96.4-million acres planted to corn. That’s an increase of five-percent over last year – the highest corn acreage of the past 75 years – and the fourth year in a row of corn acreage increases in the U.S. Growers were able to get off to a fast start this growing season – with planting nearly complete by May 20th – the quickest planting pace on record. Virtually all of the acreage had emerged by June 3rd. Spring weather also allowed U.S. soybean growers to get off to a quick start. Ninety-four percent of the 76.1-million acres planted to soybeans was planted by June 3rd – 30-percentage points ahead of last year’s pace. Nearly 80-percent of the soybean crop had emerged by that time – 40-points ahead of the 2011 pace. The acreage is the third-largest on record.

Wheat growers have planted 56-million acres – a three-percent increase from 2011. Due to expectations of better net returns compared with last year – more acres were seeded to winter wheat this year. NASS reports a decrease in cotton acreage this year. Growers planted 14-percent less cotton than in 2011 – 12.6-million acres. Acreage of the American Pima variety is down 24-percent to 235-thousand acres. Farmers planted 12.4-million acres of Upland cotton – a decline of 14-percent.