Large areas of heavy precipitation (greater than 2 inches) was observed from Kansas across the Midwest to Lower Michigan, the Lower Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast area. Weekly precipitation amounts ranging from 2 to 4 inches resulted in many areas across the Midwest. Looking ahead, there are elevated odds for much of the U.S. in terms of precipitation.
The USDA released a prospective plantings report on March 31, 2017.
Corn planted is down 4 percent in acreage form 2016. The planted area for all purposes in 2017 is estimated at 90.0 million acres. Planted acreage for 2017 is expected to be down across most major corn producing states. Acreage in Indiana and Ohio is expected be unchanged from 2016, however.
All wheat acreage is down 8 percent. Wheat planted area for 2017 is estimated at 46.1 million acres. This represents the lowest total planted area for the U.S. since records began in 1919. The 2017 winter wheat planted area, which is 32.7 million acres, is down 9 percent. Of that winter wheat total 23.8 million acres is Hard Red Winter, 5.53 million acres are Soft Red Winter and 3.38 million acres are White Winter.
Soybean planted area for 2017 is estimated at a record high 89.5 million acres. Increases of 500,000 acres or more are expected in Minnesota, North Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Barley producers intend to seed 2.55 million acres for the 2017 crop year. In North Dakota, planted acreage is expected to decrease by 36 percent from last year.
Producers of sunflowers are intended to plant close to 1.45 million acres. If this number sticks, this will be the lowest planted area for the Nation since 1976.
Canola is expected to hit a record high with 1.93 million acres of planting. Planted area is expected to increase in all major states.
North Dakota Farmers to Plant Less Wheat but More Soybeans
This trend is playing out in many states, with more than 1 billion bushels of wheat in storage in the United States.
The Agriculture Department says that it expects North Dakota farmers to seed roughly 5.4 million acres of spring wheat. While soybean acres are expected to hit a record of 6.9 million acres.
Other crops that are expected to increase in North Dakota are canola and chickpeas.
