July 10, 2009

Nebraska producers increased acreage devoted to corn, hay, oats, and sugarbeets from a year ago, while decreasing acres planted to soybeans, winter wheat, sorghum, dry edible beans, proso millet, and sunflowers, according to a June 30 report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Nebraska Field Office.

• Corn growers planted 9.4 million acres in 2009, up 7% from last year. Biotechnology varieties accounted for 91% of the planted acreage, up from 86% a year ago.
• Soybean producers planted 4.5 million acres, down 8% from the previous year. Biotechnology varieties resistant to herbicides accounted for 96% of the planted acreage, compared with 97% last year.
• Last fall, winter wheat was sown on 1.7 million acres, down 3% from 2008. Area for harvest, at 1.63 million, is down 2% from 2008.
• Sorghum growers planted 270,000 acres, 10% less than 2008 and the lowest planted area since 1932.
• Alfalfa hay acreage for harvest, at 970,000, is unchanged from last year. Other types of hay, at 1.7 million acres, are up 6% from a year earlier.
• Dry edible bean producers planted 115,000 acres, down 15% from a year earlier.
• Oat seedings, at 100,000 acres, are up 5% from 2008.
• Proso millet plantings, at 85,000 acres, are down 39% from 2008.
• Sugarbeet plantings of 53,000 acres are up 17% from last year.
• Sunflower acres of 50,000 are down 22% from 2008.