Nebraska corn growers intend to plant 9.70 million acres this year, up 3% from 2015, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nationally, corn planted area for all purposes is estimated to be 93.6 million acres in 2016, up 6% from last year. If realized, this will represent the highest planted acreage in the United States since 2013, and will be the third highest planted acreage in the US since 1944.

Soybean acreage is expected to be 5.3 million acres, unchanged from last year. Nationally, soybean planted area for 2016 is estimated at 82.2 million acres, down less than 1% from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage intentions are down or unchanged in 23 of the 31 estimating states.

Winter wheat acres seed in the fall of 2015 are estimated at 1.35 million acres, down 9% from last year. The 2016 winter wheat planted area, at 36.2 million acres, is down 8% from last year and down 1% from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 26.2 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 6.60 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.37 million acres are White Winter.

All hay acreage to be harvested is expected to total 2.7 mil acres, unchanged from 2015.

Sorghum growers intend to plant 270,000 acres, unchanged from a year ago.

Oat intentions are estimate at 145,000 acres, up 7% from last year.

Dry edible bean acreage intentions are estimated at 115,000 acres, down 18% from 2015.

Sugar beet acres are expected to be 40,800 acres, down 14% from a year ago.

Sunflower producers expect to plant, down 10% from 2015.Oil type varieties account for 27,000 acres, down 7% from a year ago. Non-oil varieties made up the balance of 17,000 aces, down 15% from last year.

Planting estimates are based on a survey conducted the first two weeks of March.