April 3, 2009

As of March 1, Nebraska producers expect to increase acreage planted to soybeans, hay, oats, sunflower, and sugarbeets, decrease acreage devoted to sorghum, dry edible beans, and wheat (sown last fall).

• Corn remains unchanged from a year ago with growers expecting to plant 8.8 million acres for all purposes in 2009.
• Soybean growers intend to plant 5.0 million acres, up 2% from last year and just 50,000 acres or 1% below the record high set in 2006.
• Winter wheat was sown on 1.7 million acres last fall, down 3% from a year earlier and 17% below the 2007 crop.
• Sorghum growers expect to plant 250,000 acres, down 50,000 acres or 17% from last year and the smallest acreage since 1932.
• Hay acreage for harvest, at 2.6 million, would be up 1% from last year.
• Dry edible bean producers intend to plant 115,000 acres, down 15% from 2008.
• Oat planting intentions, at 115,000 acres, are up 21% from 2008.
• Sunflower planting intentions, at 65,000 acres, are up 1,000 acres from last year.
• Sugarbeet plantings of 52,000 acres would be up 15% from a year ago.

For the full report and a chart shwoing Nebraska and U.S. acres planted for 2007 and 2008 and intentions for 2009, access the April 3 Nebraska Agri-Facts.

April 3 News Release
Nebraska Field Office
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service