The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Planted Acreage report released Friday surprised many with an estimated 94.1 million acres of corn planted in the United States for 2023, up 6% from last year, while soybean area planted is estimated at 83.5 million acres, down 5% from last year.

“You get a big surprise here I think on the movement around the crops and in particular between corn and beans,” said USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer. “Once one pulls all the pieces apart, it makes a lot of sense.”

The report showed a significant change from the planting intentions survey in March, which indicated farmers would plant just four percent more corn and slightly more soybeans than last year, which Meyer said showed they were “maintaining some flexibility” going into planting.

“You gained acreage sprinkled around in a number of different areas,” said Meyer, including more hay, sorghum, and spring wheat acres.

All wheat planted area for 2023 is estimated at 49.6 million acres, up 9% from last year, with winter wheat 11 percent higher and spring wheat up three percent. All cotton planted area for 2023 is estimated at 11.1 million acres, 19% below 2022. Growers planted 6.81 million acres of sorghum for all purposes in 2023, up 8 percent from last year.

Producers intend to harvest 52.0 million acres of all hay in 2023, up 5 percent from 2022. Alfalfa harvested acreage is expected to be 15.7 million acres, up 5 percent from 2022. All other hay (excluding alfalfa) is expected to be up 5 percent from last year, at 36.3 million acres.

Listen to this soundbite from Meyer from USDA.
USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer comment on planted acreage (1:09)