SD corn acres could hit 81-year high

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Planting conditions are favorable as South Dakota farmers plan to plant 5.5 million acres of corn this spring, 300,000 acres more than 2011, according to a National Agricultural Statistics Service survey.

Mark Gross, president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, said supply, demand and market prices are driving the high numbers.

“Every four days, the world is growing by 800,000 people — nearly the population of South Dakota,” Gross said in a news release.

“We’ll continue to need more corn for food, feed and fuel in the years ahead. American farmers can meet that challenge, and South Dakotans will play a big role in doing that.”

The acres planted will be the highest total in 81 years and will tie the amount planted in 1931.

A large harvest would help replenish a shrinking corn supply both nationally and in South Dakota.

The NASS reported that South Dakota corn stocks totaled 320.7 million bushels on March 1, a 3 percent decline from last year.

Planting intentions are based on a March 1 survey.

Soybean acres are expected to jump to 4.3 million acres, up 200,000 from 2011.

Spring wheat acres are pegged at 1.1 million, down 12 percent from last year, and durum wheat acres are unchanged at 8,000. Winter wheat acres seeded last fall totaled 1.35 million acres, down 18 percent over the year.

Acres of sunflowers, sorghum, oats, barley, flax and dry beans all are expected to be up in South Dakota this year.

Nationally, farmers are expected to plant 95.9 million acres of corn, up 4 percent from 2011 and 9 percent from 2010.

Other projections are for hay acres to drop 14 percent and spring wheat acres to fall 12 percent. Farmers seeded 18 percent fewer winter wheat acres last fall.

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