Nebraska corn growers intend to plant 9.30 million acres this year, down 3% from 2017, according to the 2018 Nebraska Prospective Plantings report released by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service Thursday.

Nationally, corn acres are estimated at 88.0 million acres, down 2% or 2.14 million acres from 2017. Planted corn acreage is expected to be down or unchanged in 33 of the 48 states.

Soybean planted acreage is expected to be 5.60 million acres, down 2% from last year.

Nationally, soybean planted area for 2018 is estimated at 89.0 million acres, down 1% from last year. Planted acreage intentions are down or unchanged from last year in 20 of the 31 estimating states. Decreases of 100,000 acres or more are anticipated in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Ohio. If realized, the planted area in Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin will be the largest on record.

Winter wheat acres seeded in the fall of 2017 are estimated at a record low 1.07 million, down 4% from last year.

Nationally, all wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.3 million acres, up 3% from 2017. This represents the second lowest all-wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. The 2018 winter wheat planted area, at 32.7 million acres, is up slightly from both last year and the previous estimate. Of this total, about 23.2 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 5.85 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.64 million acres are White Winter.

Sorghum growers in Nebraska intend to plant 200,000 acres, up 11% from a year ago.

Oat intentions are estimated at 135,000 acres, up 23% from last year.

Dry edible bean acreage intentions are estimated at 145,000 acres, down 19% from 2017. The all-dry-edible-bean acreage estimate includes chickpea acreage estimates. Nationally, area planted to dry beans in 2018 is expected to be 2.03 million acres, down 3% from the previous season. Six of the 11 estimating states expect an increase in total dry bean planted acres from last year.

Dry edible pea acreage intentions are estimated at 52,000 acres, down 10% from last year.

All chickpea planted acreage intentions are estimated at 5,000 acres. Nationally, expected area planted for all chickpeas is 665,000 acres, up 7% from last season. Small chickpea intentions, at 185,500 acres, are 3% above 2017, while large chickpeas, at 479,500 acres, are expected to increase 9% from the previous year. If realized, small, large, and all chickpea acreage will be a record high.

Sugarbeet growers expect to plant 45,600 acres, down 1% from last year. Nationally, area expected to be planted to sugarbeets in 2018 is estimated at 1.11 million acres, down 2% from 2017. Intended plantings are below the previous year in 6 of the 11 estimating states.

Sunflower producers expect to plant 43,000 acres, down 5% from 2017. Oil type varieties account for 33,000 acres, up 10% from a year ago. Non-oil varieties made up the balance of 10,000 acres, down 35% from the previous year.

All hay acreage to be harvested is expected to total 2.70 million acres, up 3% from 2017.

More Information

Estimates in this report are based on a survey conducted during the first two weeks of March. The national report is at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/ProsPlan//2010s/2018/ProsPlan-03-29-2018.pdf